Coraline's Nightmare Before Christmas
by Dream Dragoness
Summary: Four years after the Other Mother's defeat, sixteen-year old Coraline now finds herself in Halloweentown. Can she help Jack stop Oogie from Taking over the Seven Holidays? Coraline/Nightmare before Xmas: Oogie's Revenge crossover.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**Song of the Rats**

After Lock, Shock and Barrel overheard that Jack was leaving Halloween Town, the trio were ready to get to work on reviving their master: Oogie Boogie. Upon arriving at their tree house, the three quickly gathered the remains of Oogie and Lock and Barrel began to make some traps for insects. Shock, however, came across a problem.

"Hey, you dolts! We forgot two things."

"And what might that be?" Scowled Lock.

Shock, the brains of the group, took her broom and wacked their so-called leader on the head.

"One: We don't know how to sew properly. Two: Even if we did sew him up, how can make sure he won't be just a sack?"

Seeing the predicament that they were in, Lock and Barrel, who had overheard, began to think along with Shock.

After a few days of thinking, Barrel came up with an idea.

"Y-you know…there is _one_ person I know about that can do both."

His cohorts turned to him, as if he had grown a second head.

"What do you mean? Who?" Lock demanded.

Barrel walked over and whispered a name in the devil-costume-wearing boy's ear. Upon hearing the name, Lock whispered it to Shock, who, in shock (no pun intended); hit Barrel on the head with her broom.

"Are you crazy! If we bring _her_ back, who knows if she will help and not eat us!"

"But…she knows how to bring back Oogie. A-and who knows, maybe she'll spare us." Barrel argued.

The trio argued greatly about the situation until they had come to an agreement. They decided to bring _her_ back.

* * *

><p>A day after they agreed, Lock, Shock, and Barrel made their way to the Hinterlands. They had explored every nook and cranny of the uncharted lands, especially after what had happened the year before.<p>

Once they had reached the Grove of the Holiday Doors, Barrel spoke.

"A-are you sure her door is around here?"

"What are you? Stupid? This is the area that the stories spoke of. Spread out and search." Shock told her playmates.

They followed her order and began to search the area for the legendary door. They searched and search for hours until the moon was high in the sky. By that time, the trio was exhausted.

"Smart idea, Barrel. Why would you suggest her when none of us don't even know where the door is? Is she even real?" Lock groaned at Barrel.

"But I'm telling you, it's true. My Dad told me long ago about her and what she did." Barrel spoke in defense.

As the boys argued, Shock gave a final look around of the area. When she heard Barrel mention his father, she was reminded of a riddle her mother told her about…her.

_In a circle of trees_

_When the moon is high,_

_Look for the rats_

_And watch for button eyes_

Shock remembered the riddle clearly. Her great-great grandmother was once her closest friend. Some once say that she was a part of her…web. Thankfully, that hadn't been proven. But Shock often wondered otherwise.

"Look to the rats, and watch for button eyes. What the heck does that mean?"

But before she could say anymore, Shock stopped walking as something solid made contact with the bottom of her foot. She looked down and moved her foot, seeing a black button, visible by the moonlight.

As she picked up the button, Shock noticed that there was something long on the other side. She turned the button to find a part that looked like a key on the flat side. It almost reminded her of a tack.

"What the heck is this?" She asked.

However, she heard something rustling from the bushes. Though a prank was always a delight, with the knowledge of her in her mind, Shock felt something…dark coming from the bushes. Quickly, she headed back to the tub and quieted her playmates.

"Shh. Quiet."

Hearing the rustling sound, the boys obeyed. Like their friend, fear began to well within them as they heard the noises. They had to cover their mouths when hundreds of blood-red beady eyes stared out at them, the owners of said eyes speaking a chant as small silhouettes began to circle the moonlight in the center of the Grove of the Holiday Trees.

_We are small but we are many_

_We are many, we are small,_

_We were here before you rose_

_We will be here when you fall,_

Lock, Shock, and Barrel began to huddle close as the chanting continued.

_We have teeth and we have tails_

_We have tails and we have eyes,_

_We were here when you fell_

_You will be here when we rise,_

The shadows then began to run faster and faster as the moon-bathed earth began to shake.

_There will be a little tussle_

_You will topple from your throne,_

_We will nibble on the muscle_

_We will nibble on the bone,_

Slowly, a single tree rose as the creatures finished the chant.

_We have eyes and we have nerves-es_

_We have tails and we have teeth,_

_You'll all get what you deserve-es_

_When we rise from underneath,_

With the last of the chant and the tree completely raised, the shadows dispersed and vanished into the night. Still shivering in fear, the trio of tricksters moved the tub closer to the tree. Unlike the holiday doors, the door on this tree didn't represent any holiday that they knew. Instead, it was a giant, black button with a doorknob in the center. Just under the knob was a keyhole.

"Th-this is it. I told you the door was real!" Barrel told his friends.

Still shaking over the unusual event, the three got out of the tub and looked at the door. Lock tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"Great. It's locked. Now what?"

But while the boys began to argue again, Shock examined the doorway and looked at the keyhole. Looking at the key in her hand, Shock wondered if the key was meant for this door.

Without a word, she placed the key into the keyhole and turned the key. A click shut the boys up, telling the three that it was unlocked. Opening the door quickly, Shock returned to the tub as it backed up from the door.

Silence faded as the sound of a gasping voice came from the opening. It grew louder and louder until very thin fingers grasped the edge of the door. The voice then rasped.

"I'm…free…"

Slowly, a feminine, spider-like silhouette emerged from the opening.

Identifying the figure, Shock spoke. "You're…her, aren't you?"

Taking notice of the three, the figure spoke.

"Ah…I recognize this place. It was my home long ago. You have freed me. But what is the reason you wanted to see me?"

Gulping, Lock told the shadow of their request. This intrigued the figure. How long she had wanted to get revenge of the town that had banished her to her web. Now, opportunity was knocking on her door. How could she refuse?

But…there was another matter she wanted to…take care of.

"I will help you and revive your master. But…I have a price."

The trio gulped at the thought of what the price might be. The figure then spoke.

"In my world, I have preyed on children for hundreds of years. Taking their love and lives to sustain my own. Our previous king had banished me here once he discovered my...business. He and Halloween Town must pay! I was furious, but I still had my second door. I had live on…until four years ago."

"So…what do you want?" Shock asked.

"Vengeance, my dear. That's what I want. Not only for the town that had abandoned me, but also for the one that had nearly killed me. The one who did this to my hand."

She then lifted up on of her arms to reveal that her hand was gone.

"And the name of the brat who did all of this to me is called…Coraline Jones."

* * *

><p><em>The Song of the Rats is not mine, it belongs to the author of Coraline. I do not own Coraline, nor The Nightmare Before Christmas.<em>

_Read and Review, Please. NO flames allowed. :)_


	2. Coraline's Fortune

_**Synopsis:** Four years after the defeat of the Other Mother, Coraline Jones, now sixteen, finds herself in boredom yet again. While exploring the Pink Palace property, she stumbles upon seven holiday doors. What will Coraline find in a world where Halloween is alive? Can she save it alongside the Pumpkin King from an evil that threatens to conquer the holidays? Is the Other Mother truly gone?_

_I do not own Coraline nor The Nightmare Before Christmas._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

**Coraline's Fortune**

"Oh, my twitchy witchy girl, I think you are so nice. I give you bowls of porridge and I give you bowls of ice…cream." Sung Coraline Jones as she read through a cookbook yet again.

Her parents were still at that gardener's convention in Seattle for their catalog and now she has to cook for herself. This was fine, since she was sixteen.

It had been four years since Coraline and her parents moved from Pontiac, Michigan, to the Pink Palace Apartments in the middle of Oregon. Four years since she fought…_her._ Coraline tried to not think much of the Other Mother and her made-up world. After all, the witch did try to sew buttons into her eyes to devour her essence. But the memories were engraved into her mind forever. Especially when she nearly lost her life and her parents during the whole event.

Needless to say, Coraline decided to pick up on a few things to tend to herself and her busy parents. The first being on how to cook. A valuable lesson, since she could not take any more of her father's cooking. Which was both appreciated and a relief (mostly by her mother) by her parents. Coraline also took up sewing, navigation (for her explorations), and other tidbits of information.

She had to be resourceful, especially when her parents obtain a heavy workload.

Other than her talents, Coraline's physical form also changed. She was a bit taller than her mother but still shorter than her father. She was slightly flat, although her clothes, including her school uniforms, hide that fact. A fact that she was both annoyed and grateful for hiding. Her hair remained blue as ever and flowed down past her waist. She had taken up a habit of wearing headbands to keep her hair back, usually the thick ones.

That night, she was wearing a powder blue sweater that she had knitted; a pair of slightly baggy jeans, black shoes with white laces, and a dark pink and violet 2-inch wide headband. In other words she was growing up fine. But, she still maintained the curiosity and adventurous spirit that was with her when she was twelve.

After careful debating, Coraline decided to cook up some leftover chicken she made the night before and made with it a sandwich. As she at the sandwich, Coraline began to think. With her parents gone till after Christmas, she had little to do. She could've talked with her friend, Wybie, and see what he was up to. But the boy and his grandmother were gone south for their family's Christmas.

She could talk to Mr. B, the man who lived in the upstairs apartment. But he was training his jumping mice for the New Year's circus performance and the mice had been having a hard time with winter rolling in. That left the blue-haired girl to talk with her downstairs neighbors: Miss Spink and Miss Forcible.

_Who knows? Maybe I can get my fortune told again._

After her dinner, Coraline finished cleaning the apartment before her visit to the former actresses. Before she left, Coraline grabbed a grey-blue button-up poncho that she knitted and filled the cat's dish. Ever since her battle with the Other Mother, the black cat that helped Coraline came by often. Even though he was still feral, the cat did appreciate the meal and cat door that Coraline had installed a couple years back.

The sun was still showing a bit as Coraline left her apartment and headed for the downstairs apartment. After she knocked on the door, she was greeted by the women's three new Scotties; Julius, Brutus, and Horatio. They were followed by Miss Spink, who looked about the same as she did when she met Coraline.

Opening the door, Miss Spink greeted Coraline.

"Ah, Caroline. So good of you to decide to come visit us."

"Still Coraline, Miss Spink." Coraline replied.

This had become their usual greeting, despite telling Miss Spink countless times that her name was Coraline and not Caroline.

As Coraline was being lead in to the basement apartment, she was acknowledged by the slightly blind-as-a-bat Miss Forcible. Like that day four years ago, the two women disagreed over tea types until Miss Forcible decided to go with jasmine. Coraline sat down on the sofa with the three dogs by her sides. This included the wall of stuffed Scotties that the women had. Over the years, Coraline had become used to being around the dead dogs.

After Miss Forcible brought the tea and some hot scones, Miss Spink offered to tell Coraline her fortune again. Coraline agreed and drank her tea. Once the cup was near empty, she handed the cup to Miss Spink, who gently shook the cup until a shape appeared. The result, however, caused Miss Spink's eyes to widen.

"Oh~. Caroline. Caroline. Caroline. Caroline. You are in terrible danger. You…and someone else."

This caused Coraline to raise an eyebrow.

"Again? And who?"

"I see the danger is in the form of a bag-man. And the other figure, I see in the form of a skeleton."

Hearing this, Miss Forcible took Miss Spink's fortune-telling hat, thinking it was the teacup, yet again.

"Oh! Give me that cup, April. I still say your eyes are going bad."

Again, the two women began to argue over the tea's message. As they did, Coraline took the cup and looked herself. She hadn't practiced fortune-telling or divination, but she could see that Miss Spink was right. From the bag-man's form, she could somehow sense that she should stay away from someone like that.

Then, she looked at the second figure, the skeleton man. Like with the bag-man, Coraline could sense something. But this figure, however, she could sense that he was no danger to her and possible a new friend she would make in the future. But, that was her instincts.

Then again, Miss Spink was never wrong in her fortunes.

After saying good-bye to the two actresses and their dogs, both living and departed, Coraline then left the apartment and returned to hers. The new fortunes still echoed through her mind, thankfully taking the place of the Other Mother. What danger could she be in? Who was this bag-man and skeleton that Miss Spink saw in her tea leaves?

Whatever the reason, Coraline remembered one of the most important advices she had received: Be very careful. Especially for what you wish for. But, since she had no school and she had nowhere she needed to go, Coraline was content on staying home. But as she was getting ready to settle down for the night, she spotted something on the hill next to the apartment.

"Huh? I haven't seen that area before." Coraline spoke.

Her curiosity peaked; Coraline went up to her room and grabbed a large, leather satchel. Within it, she placed a compass; a map of the property; a thick, blank notepad; a flashlight; some matches; and her lucky hat that the cat managed to retrieve a before confronting the Other Mother after gathering the three ghost eyes.

Once those were packed, Coraline then went down to the kitchen and packed a lunch. After all, who knows how long she'll be gone. After she packed the lunch, Coraline then went back to her room to pick up something she forgot. In her desk was a handy sickle that Wybie had given her one year ago. The blade was of curved iron and the handle was tied with leather. There was a small chain that helped its owner find it and keep it close. Her parents protested the gift at first, but they allowed Coraline to keep it to protect herself on her explorations.

After she finished packing the satchel, Coraline then wrote a note on her notepad.

"_Gone exploring. Be back soon. Coraline."_

Since she didn't know when her parents would come back, Coraline always left a note if she was going someplace. She then placed the note on the table and turned off the lights.

After locking the apartment, Coraline then headed up the hill. Once she made it to the fork in the road that the right path lead to the well, Coraline took the left. She walked and walked until she could see the window she saw the place from. Returning her gaze to the path, she came to a circle of trees. But these were not like the trees she was familiar with.

"What in the world?" Coraline asked in surprise.

On each tree, there was an unusual door. She saw a firework, a heart, a shamrock, a turkey, an Easter egg, a Christmas tree, and the one that caught her eye, a jack-o-lantern. Coraline stepped into the center and did a slow, 360 degree turn. As she turned, she noticed that there was a pattern.

"Independence Day, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, and…"

She then turned to the pumpkin door.

"…Halloween."

Ever since she was little, Coraline loved Halloween. Dressing up, going door to door to collect candy, good-natured pranks, and the stories of spirits walking the earth, since it was supposed to be a time when the border between the mortal world and that of the spirits. It was when she would love scares that didn't cost her life.

Focused on the Halloween door, Coraline walked up to it. She then reached out her left arm and turned the nose knob on the door. Once done, Coraline then opened the door to find…

"Nothing?"

The inside of the tree was dark and hollow. Nothing was inside, which made Coraline annoyed.

However, before she could turn back, Coraline felt a strong breeze. A breeze so strong, it lifted her off her feet and into the tree, closing the door behind her. Coraline fell and fell, but had yet to hit bottom. She brushed away the cobwebs that had begun to gather on her and she began to smell pumpkin cider the further she fell. As she fell, Coraline was reminded of one of her favorite stories, _Alice in Wonderland_, seeing the similarities between herself and Alice. _B_

_ut Alice had never dealt with a witch that had buttons for eyes._

After a few minutes of falling, a bright flash blinded Coraline, causing her to cover her eyes. Once she was able to sense the light dimming, she removed her arms and opened her eyes. What she saw, she couldn't believe.

"Where on earth am I?"

* * *

><p><em>My First Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline fic. Hope you enjoy it. It's a crossover of Coraline and Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge.<em>

_Read and Review, please. No Flames please._


	3. Welcome to Halloween Town

**Chapter 2**

**Welcome to Halloween Town**

Coraline gaped at the sight of a massive cemetery before her. The sun was rising, casting golden beams against a large crypt and striking three landmarks that caught the teenager's eye. A giant, eerie tree; a tree house that overlooked a cavernous pit; and the most unusual, a spiral hill. Coraline was having difficulty believing that this was real. But the earth beneath her proved otherwise.

"Where am I?" Coraline asked.

As if it happened like magic, Coraline felt something brush against her right arm. Looking down, she saw that it was the black cat. As she petted the cat, Coraline spoke to him.

"So, you're here too, huh? I wonder where we are."

"Well," a familiar voice spoke. "…have you ever wondered where holidays come from?"

Coraline nearly jumped out of her skin, as for the first time in years, the cat talked.

"You-you talk here too?"

The cat nodded.

"This world was where _she_ originally came from. Therefore, the same energies that gave me speech are the same here."

Coraline's eyes widen as she asked in fear. "The Other Mother came from _here_?"

"Indeed. But this world's inhabitants are far different from her."

This peaked Coraline's interest.

"What do you mean?"

The cat then walked up to a tombstone and jumped on it.

"The holidays are the results of much fuss and hard work of the worlds that create them. Can you guess where this is?"

Coraline took another 360 degree turn, examining the elements of this land. As she turned, she remembered the door.

"This is…Halloween?"

"Halloween Town, to be exact. Although, it won't be for long."

But before Coraline could ask, she spotted the silhouette of a town up the hill.

"Is that the town?" Coraline asked.

But when she looked back at the tombstone, the cat was gone.

She raised her eyebrow to the disappearance of the only source of her answers. But she also knew that she had to press on. Without another word, Coraline walked up the hill and passed through the gate.

* * *

><p>While Coraline was on her way to Halloween Town, the cat came out of his hiding place and made his way to the large mausoleum in the eastern part of the cemetery. Quietly, the cat snuck passed the hidden dangers of the graveyard until he made it to the back of the mausoleum. There, he crawled through a small hole that lead into the interior.<p>

Once he was inside, the cat walked further into a large chamber. There, he came across a ragdoll woman who was gazing out of the stain glass window. The woman noticed the cat and knelt down.

"You've come back. Is everything alright?" She asked.

"The town is far from well. But I have brought someone who can help save it." The cat replied.

"Really? Who?" The woman inquired.

"The girl who has weakened The Beldam."

This surprised the ragdoll. "The one you told me about? Are you sure she will be able to save us?"

"Do not worry. Coraline is a very resourceful girl. And as soon as she meets His Majesty, she will be better prepared."

* * *

><p>As she walked passed a larger gate, Coraline scanned the square that she had entered. There were five paths, including the one she came on. There was a large, black building on the opposite side of the square.<p>

"_T__hat must be the town hall."_ She thought.

As she looked, she noticed that one of the paths lead to the towered building she noticed upon her arrival to this world.

She then approached the fountain, with its stone dragon looking menacingly as green water poured from its mouth. Coraline didn't know whether to be impressed or disgusted. As she walked around the fountain, she noticed that it seemed quite dead. No pun intended.

However, the peace didn't remain peaceful for long. Just as Coraline walked away from the fountain, she noticed patches of earth began to rumble. She didn't have time to reach for her sickle when four monstrous blue skeletons rose up, giving a frightening shriek.

Coraline had to think fast, clearly establishing that this was no welcoming party. Seeing her chance, Coraline dashed between two skeletons, escaping the circle. She then quickly reached for her sickle and as soon as the first skeleton lunged at her, she gave a swift swipe, decapitating the skeleton in the process. The remaining skeletons quickly lunged after the girl, causing Coraline to stumble a bit as she took care of two more of the fiends.

However, after she sliced the third skeleton, Coraline lost her balance and fell on her rear onto the pavement. She scooted herself back as the skeleton advanced toward her. Noticing that there was no way she could escape, Coraline cried out in fear. But when the skeleton was about to lunge at her, something green splattered onto the skeleton and pulled it back.

Coraline watched in amazement and shock as the owner of the green blob, a skeleton dressed in a striped suit and bat tie, tossed the first skeleton to a wall, shattering the monster. But before Coraline could do anything, several more skeletons rose from the ground and began to attack the skeleton that helped her.

She watched as he used the green blob like a whip, striking his opponents until they shattered. He also used it to grab a monster skeleton and tossed it to a group of the fiends, causing them to fall. As some of the monsters came her way, Coraline took the chance and took them out.

However, just as it seemed to be the end of it, a cat-like siren began to call as Coraline heard someone tapping on a microphone.

"Testing…testing…is this thing on? My dearly abhorred citizens of Halloween Town. This is Oogie Boogie speaking! Today, I bring you a joyous announcement. First of all, in place of Jack Skellington, yours truly is now the ruler of Halloween Town. And secondly, as of today, this very hour, this exact moment, I declare this town's name will be changed to Oogie Town! Bahahahaha!"

At the first word of the announcement, more skeleton monsters appeared, wanting to take a bite out of Coraline and the skeleton man. Thankfully, Coraline heard every word.

_"Oogie Boogie? Jack Skellington? Ruler of Halloween Town? What the heck is going on?"_ Coraline thought as she killed off some more skeletons.

As Coraline continued to fight, she noticed that the numbers were getting smaller and smaller. Seeing her chance, Coraline took out the remaining skeletons, while the skeleton man, who had been watching her fight since the first four monsters, understood what she was trying to do and took out the remaining monsters with his green whip.

After several minutes of fighting, the creatures were no more, leaving Coraline alone with the skeleton.

"What happened while I was gone?" She heard the skeleton man ask himself.

Taking in a deep breath, Coraline turned to the skeleton.

"Th-thank you for helping me earlier."

To Coraline's surprise, the skeleton man turned to her. He was neither cross nor monstrous like the creatures from before, but rather he gave her a gentle smile as he greeted her.

"You're quite welcome, miss. Although, I must say, you seemed to be out of place."

"You have no idea." Coraline replied.

The skeleton then realized something.

"Oh! I almost forgot. I'm Jack. Jack Skellington. The _true_ ruler of Halloween Town."

_"Wait a minute! Is this the Jack Skellington from the announcement?" _Coraline thought in surprise.

"And you are…?"

Realizing that he was waiting for her name, Coraline cleared her throat.

"My name's Coraline. Coraline Jones."

"Well, Coraline. I must say you fought quite impressively. But might I ask, what are you doing here?" Jack asked.

"It's a long story." Coraline replied. "But what about this Oogie Boogie character?"

Jack, remembering the fiend, turned his attention to the town hall. "He must be inside."

As Jack began to approach the town hall, he turned to Coraline.

"Normally, I wouldn't ask this of anyone, especially someone so young, but I believe I may need your help."

Coraline's eyes widened. Could she really have fought that well? Silently gulping, Coraline gave her answer.

"If you think I can help."

"Fantastic!" Jack replied. "But be careful, Oogie is quite dangerous."

"If I may ask, why me? I mean, isn't it strange asking for such help from somebody like me?" Coraline asked.

Jack gave his response.

"As far as I have seen, these monsters are strong as well as numerous. Although I may have my Soul Robber," he guestred to the green blob on his hand, "I am certain that I cannot handle this alone. And after I saw you fight, I knew immediately that whatever Oogie is planning can be stopped if we are willing to work together."

Even though she was nervous about fighting whatever was inside, Coraline had to agree. By far, she did not know how to get home; she was, until now, alone in a strange land; and there are monsters that threatened to kill her. So according to her, and Jack's, logic, the best thing for Coraline to do is to stick with the Pumpkin King. Nodding in understanding, Coraline followed Jack into the town hall.

* * *

><p>As they walked inside, both Jack and Coraline scanned the interior of the building. The meeting hall looked like it had been trashed by a cyclone and the backstage was boarded up. As they got closer and closer to the center of the room, Coraline began to feel the chill that she felt when she looked at her tea leaves. Those feelings became fear as Jack stopped, causing Coraline to the same.<p>

Looking ahead, Coraline saw a black mass forming at the edge of the stage. Jack noticed it too.

"What's this?"

Jack and Coraline soon got their answer as the mass formed into the shape of the bag-man Coraline saw in the tea leaves. His eyes and mouth were glowing a florescent yellow as it bellowed mockingly.

"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack."

The appearance of the being nearly cause Coraline to scream, but managed to only have a small gasp escape her mouth. She then saw that Jack had readied himself for the fight, causing Coraline to quickly grab her sickle as they began to approach the being.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? Jack, the Pumpkin King! Finally made it, huh? Ohhh! I'm really scared!" The being spoke mockingly. "So how do you like my Oogie Town? Bahahahaha!"

"Oogie! What have you done to everyone?" Jack called out to the being.

"They are all under my control. Bahahahaha!"

The Shadow Oogie then summoned up some ghosts to fight the pair.

"Coraline!" Jack called.

"Right!" Coraline spoke.

They then split up, Jack taking the right flank, Coraline the left.

As they fought the ghosts, Shadow Oogie then spoke, turning to Coraline.

"Coraline, you say? Well, well, well. So YOU'RE the brat who weakened my partner."

"Your partner? Who? I've never been here before." Coraline spoke, slicing another ghost.

Shadow Oogie continued.

"You may have not been here, girl. But you have been to her web. Almost got button eyes during your visit."

Coraline's eyes widen even further as she caught on what he was talking about. _"The Other Mother? She was his partner?"_

But before Coraline could say anything, Jack whipped his Soul Robber at Shadow Oogie, causing him to disperse. Shaking her head out of shock, Coraline ran over and adding the increasing damage with her sickle until the shadow cringed back, beginning to sink into the ground, laughing.

"Beginner's luck, if you ask me. Don't worry. We'll meet again!"

The shadow then waved as it vanished from the building.

After the shadow had completely vanished, Jack and Coraline saw some glittery light fall like snow between them. Looking up, the pair gasped as something materialized a few feet above them. The object then floated down until it was between Jack and Coraline, revealing to be the Halloween Door that Coraline opened earlier.

"That's the Halloween Holiday Door! Now what in the world is it doing here?" Jack answered.

After taking the door into their possession, Jack turned to Coraline.

"What did Oogie's shadow mean about you knowing his partner, Coraline?"

Coraline saw this coming. She knew Jack had heard what Shadow Oogie said and now he wished for some answers.

"Well, this is part of that long story I've mentioned before."

* * *

><p>An hour later, Coraline had explained the events of four years ago to Jack. This surprised the Pumpkin King because he heard of the Other Mother before. He explained to Coraline how the Beldam was once a resident of Halloween Town. A specialist in the Dark Arts and sub-world manipulation. Jack told Coraline that the Beldam was once the most reputable citizen in all of Halloween Town.<p>

But that changed when Jack's father, the previous Pumpkin King, found out about her plans in taking children's lives to sustain her own. Immediately as it was told, the town severed their ties to the Beldam, who was then banished from Halloween to her web in the Other World. They had locked the door that connected the town to the Other World, but had failed to find the other door in the Human World due to her dark arts.

Jack was both surprised and impressed at how Coraline defeated her. But both parties knew something was wrong during their fight against Shadow Oogie. From the way it sounded, it seemed the Other Mother had returned to Halloween Town, thanks to Oogie's efforts. The pair then learned about the town's situation from a citizen that came out of hiding.

The citizen, the Three Hydes, told Jack and Coraline that Oogie's henchmen; Lock, Shock, and Barrel, had somehow freed The Beldam from her prison. And with her help, they managed to sew Oogie back together after the Christmas catastrophe of last year, which Jack had told Coraline in exchange for her story.

While Jack was away in search of new discoveries for Halloween, somehow, Oogie managed to convince Dr. Finklestien to tell the town that Jack had run off because Halloween didn't seem scary enough for him anymore. Desperate to have their leader back, the citizens built traps all over the town; unaware until it was too late that it was all a trick.

Realizing the situation at hand Jack turned to Coraline.

"It seems that our old foes are the cause of this. As far as I can see, Coraline, you are still in great danger. No doubt the Beldam will want vengeance against you."

Coraline nodded, but still wondered on what she should do.

It was then that Jack brought up a proposition.

"I think that if Oogie and the Beldam are to be stopped, we will have to save Halloween Town and search for them. I am also curious as to why the Halloween Door was here in the first place. Perhaps this can be accomplished if we continue to fight side by side."

As far as Coraline could see it, Jack was right. Halloween Town has become a disaster and Jack needed all the help he can get. Plus, she figured it was safer to stay with Jack than sit around Halloween Town until the Other Mother or Oogie find her.

Seeing as they both came to an agreement, the adventurous girl and the Pumpkin King shook hands. And that was the start of Coraline's adventure in Halloween Town.

* * *

><p><em>Whew! All done for now. Chapter two is finally up. :)<em>

_Read and Revirw please._


	4. Rescuing Sally

**Chapter 3**

**Rescuing Sally**

**Important:**_ I have decided to do an experiment in this fic. I've added **Song Mode **and I would like your opinion on it. If you like it and want me to keep it as it is, that ok. If you **don't **like it and want me to change some stuff, let me know so I can edit. Review is open to everyone, just don't flame me if you don't like it._

_Thank You and Happy Halloween! ^^_

* * *

><p>Upon agreeing to work together in saving Halloween Town, Jack and Coraline caught notice of a small Corpse Kid approaching the fountain.<p>

"Jack! Welcome back! It looks like the Witch Shop just opened for the first time since you left. Guess things are safe now that you are back."

The dead boy gave a woeful look.

"Terrible things have happened while you were gone, Jack. Terrible things."

"So I have seen. Thank you, my boy."

Jack told the Corpse Kid. He then turned to Coraline.

"Let's see what the Witch Sisters have in stock."

Coraline nodded, but was unsure of what exactly that what _she_ would need. Oh well, guess there's no harm in checking it out anyway.

Passing the Corpse Kid, the duo headed down the northeastern path until a single building with a sign caught their sights. Coraline read the sign, which said "Witches' Shop." The mortal girl wondered what was in the shop, unaware that her questions would soon be answered as she followed Jack inside.

At the counter, there were two witches. The first witch was tall and had grey hair. The second witch was short and had dark hair. As they approached, the Short Witch spoke.

"Jack! You've returned."

She then noticed Coraline behind him.

"And you have brought a new customer. How exquisitely horrid!"

From what Coraline could tell, the witch meant it in a good way.

Jack then spoke to the witches.

"She is with me. But is it true? The whole town in booby trapped?"

The Tall Witch then spoke with woe in her voice.

"Oh…it's too embarrassing to talk about. We brought this upon ourselves."

She then changed her tone to interest. "Say, care to buy anything? We've got some prime heads and torsos, but they'll cost you an arm and a leg."

Coraline hid her grimace when she heard that. She was disgusted at the list, but she remembered that this was Halloween.

Disgusting is in.

As she then decided to wait for Jack outside of the shop, Coraline began to think about on how to find the duo behind this chaos? More importantly, how would she deal with them?

For Oogie, all Coraline had on him was that he was a bug-filled bag man who was addicted to gambling. She was certain that the tea leaves that had her new fortune showed this event. The bag man was no doubt Oogie and the skeletal figure must have been Jack. And with the stories of Oogie Jack had told her, Coraline figured that stopping the bag of bugs wasn't going to be easy.

Then, there's the Other Mother. After the challenge she had issued on her, Coraline felt that the Other Mother wouldn't fall for the same trick again. Oogie might, with his gambling habit. But there was also the possibility that the Other Mother told him about how Coraline had defeated her.

No doubt about it. This was going to be a tough fight.

But as she continued to think, Coraline's consciousness faded while she was standing near the entrance to the square and a vision came into view. She saw the cemetery she had come in, but it was like her being was seeing major parts of the area. The huge tree and the mausoleum. Her vision turned to the crypt and rushed inside.

It was then that she saw deep in the chamber the cat speaking with someone. A woman that resembled a ragdoll. Her dress was patchwork and she had long red hair and many stitches all over her body. Even if she was startling, she was also quite pretty. From what Coraline could hear, they were talking about her and Jack. But just as they were about to say something else, Coraline's vision looked up and saw a florescent orange-red spiral and eight eyes.

Just as the vision came, it let Coraline mind return to reality with a fright. But she couldn't get that vision off her mind.

_"What was that all about?"_

As Coraline pondered, she looked back to the shop and saw Jack walking out.

"Is everything alright, Coraline?" He asked.

Shaking the vision out of her mind, Coraline spoke to him.

"Just trying to figure out where to go next."

"Well, I have a lead on that." Jack began. "According to the Witch Sisters, there has been a lot of activity lately in the graveyard outside of town. The problem is…when I returned to Halloween Town, the Main Gate locked behind me."

"How are we going to get to the graveyard then?" Coraline asked.

"Simple. There's a resident who is the keeper of the town keys. He should have the key to the gate." Jack answered.

Question was…Where to find him?

After learning of the resident, Clown's, location, Jack told Coraline to wait for him in the square as he jumped into a manhole that Clown was hiding under. As she waited for him, Coraline stood by the fountain and began to think of the vision again. The graveyard. That was where they had to go next. But…that still didn't answer her questions regarding the ragdoll.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Jack came back from the manhole, followed by a large, scary-looking clown on a unicycle. Coraline figured that was Clown. Her assumption was made clear when Clown unlocked the town gate. Turning to the pair, Clown spoke.

"I've got the gate opened for you, Jack."

Then the Corpse Kid, who was next to Clown, spoke up.

"But not before Oogie's baddies grabbed Sally and carried her off toward the cemetery."

The Corpse Kid then spoke on with fear in his decaying face.

"I hear the cemetery's pretty dangerous these days. I hope she's ok."

Jack, hearing this, spoke.

"What! Took Sally! That's it. No more Mr. Nice Bones."

He then ran in the direction of the cemetery, Coraline running to catch up to him. As she ran after Jack, Coraline figured that the ragdoll she saw in her vision was no doubt Sally and from the way Jack reacted to her kidnapping, it was obvious that he cared for her.

* * *

><p>As they passed the gate in the graveyard, Coraline was relieved that Jack had stopped, allowing her to catch up with the Pumpkin King and catch her breath. But as she did, she sensed that the cemetery was more ominous than before.<p>

"Something doesn't seem right." She muttered.

But Jack had heard her and turned to face her, a questionable look on his face.

"What do you mean, Coraline?"

Coraline explained. "I don't know how I'm able to, but somehow, I can feel that this place had become more sinister than when I came here."

Jack had to agree with her. He had to come home through the cemetery and like Coraline, felt that something was amiss.

"We'll have to be on our guard. In the meantime, let's see if we can learn what has happened here."

"How are we going to do that?" She asked.

But before he could answer, Jack looked at the Great Tree and saw a familiar figure standing at the base. With a broadened smile, Jack had his answer.

"The one we need to speak to is over by the Great Tree."

And with that, he took off again, leaving Coraline to hurriedly follow him.

When they reached the tree, Coraline saw that it was a smaller tree near the base. She hardly jumped out of her skin when the tree talked.

"Jack. You've come back."

Jack greeted the tree.

"Hello, Hanging Tree."

He then noticed something was missing from the tree.

"Hmmm. What happened to your Hanging Men?"

Coraline leaned on a nearby tombstone as the Hanging Tree told them what had happened.

"Ever since Oogie and his monsters came to town, my Hanging Men have been hiding all around the cemetery. I'm afraid that Hanging Men aren't very brave."

It was Jack's turn to speak.

"I guess we're both missing people. I've lost Sally. You haven't seen Sally, have you?"

"No, but maybe my Hanging Men have seen her."

"Hmmm. I'd better find them. I could really use Zero's nose at a time like this."

The Hanging Tree had an answer to that problem.

"I bet you'll find Zero in his grave."

He then spoke again.

"But that is not the only problem in this cemetery. From what I have seen, Oogie's monsters are attacking from fallen tombstones throughout the area. This may prove difficult for my Hanging Men to return to me."

Jack thought for a moment before he got an idea. He then half-turned to Coraline, letting the Hanging Tree know of her presence.

"I know! I'll take care of the tombstones while Coraline can find the Hanging Men. Coraline. Can you handle this?"

Coraline gave it little thought. How hard can it be to find some Hanging Men?

"Of course. But how will I find them is another question."

"I have Zero help you find them. He can guide you throughout the cemetery and find the Hanging Men." Jack explained.

With that settled, the duo then bid farewell to the Hanging Tree, after Jack introduced Coraline to him, of course; the headed back to the entrance of the cemetery, where Jack told Coraline that Zero's grave is in that area. By far, this was going to be easy.

That is, until something came out of the eastern part of the cemetery.

Riding in their walking bathtub were none other than the trio who freed the Other Mother and revived Oogie: Lock, Shock, and Barrel. As they approached the pair, each one of the troublemakers took off their mask and spoke their names.

"Lock!"

"Shock!"

"Barrel!"

Jack folded his arms as he spoke to the trio, leaving Coraline a bit confused.

"Hmm…I might have known." T

he devil boy, Lock, spoke. "Welcome home, Jack."

Then Shock to Coraline. "How is your trip, Coraline?"

_"__Ok. How does she know my name?"_ Coraline thought.

"Are you two having fun, Jack?" Barrel spoke.

Jack then spoke again, with a suspicious look on his face.

"You three wouldn't have anything to do with the Beldam's and Oogie's return, would you?"

"Who?"

"Us?"

"Oh... uh… um…" Coraline immediately found it suspicious as Jack spoke to the three.

"It's not too late. Return this town to order-immediately!"

"Why would we do that?" Lock asked mockingly, tapping his plunger at the edge of the tub.

"The fun has just begun!" Shock spoke.

"Besides, we're on a secret mission to stop you two! Don't tell anyone though. He he he heh!" Barrel answered, only to get a knock on the head with Lock's plunger.

It was then that Lock jumped out of the tub while it walked away with his playmates.

"See you later!" Shock called to Lock.

Once they were gone, spiked gate rose up, blocking all escape for Jack and Coraline.

"Now you will have to play with me!" Lock called out as he summoned a large group of skeletons at the pair.

"You call this 'playtime'?" Coraline muttered in shock. Thankfully, this went unheard.

Like in the square, Coraline and Jack took out their own section of skeletons, only stopping to help one another if there was trouble. There were more this time, having to take care of fourteen of the brutes.

"Get 'em!"

Thinking that there were more under his command, Lock pointed his plunger at the pair, only to find that the only skeleton in front of him was Jack, Coraline watching a few feet away.

Removing his mask, Lock looked around.

"Huh? Where'd they all go?"

Lock jumped a little when he saw the angry face of the Pumpkin King in front of him. The boy placed a hand behind his back as he spoke to Jack.

"Sorry. I'll be good from now on! I promise."

Coraline didn't need to look to know that Lock had his fingers crossed behind his back. Lock then leapt from the tombstone he was on and ran off.

"Gotta go!"

With the fight over with, Jack and Coraline made their way to Zero's grave.

"Who were those three?" Coraline asked.

"They are Lock, Shock, and Barrel. They are a trio of pranksters who work for Oogie. They're the ones responsible for what is happening." Jack explained.

Once they approached the grave, Jack patted his right leg gently. This caused a ghost dog with a glowing jack-o-lantern nose to rise up, barking happily as he floated around his master.

"There you are, Zero!" Jack spoke happily. "C'mon. I need your help to find some hanged men."

He then gestured to Coraline, who was watching with interest.

"This is Coraline. I need you to help her find the Hanging Men while I raise some tombstones."

Zero barked happily as he floated over to Coraline, who was giggling lightly.

* * *

><p>As soon as Jack ran off to the first tombstone, Coraline followed Zero to different spots in the cemetery. They found two near the Hanging Tree; one behind a tombstone and another high in the Great Tree, which she had Zero fetch. She found the remaining hanged men in the eastern part of the cemetery, where the large mausoleum was.<p>

To each hanged men she found, she said, "It's ok now. It's time to go back to the Hanging Tree."

But as she told the last hanged man to do so, Coraline reached the hill near the mausoleum, where Lock popped out from behind a tombstone.

"You're not going anywhere, Coraline!"

Reaching for her sickle, Coraline whispered to Zero.

"Zero. Go and get Jack!"

The ghost dog understood as he flew off to the Great Tree where Jack was.

As Lock summoned some skeleton monsters, Coraline asked, "Why are you doing this? Do you know what the Other Mother is capable off? If she gets rid of me, she'll do the same to you!"

Lock scoffed. "Not likely. The Beldam only wants you. I can call off these skeletons if you just come with me."

"And get buttons sewn into my eyes? Forget it!"

"Well then," Lock spoke, "I guess we'll have to do it the hard way."

Soon, Coraline found herself in a melee for her life. Not only did she had to defeat the hordes of skeletons coming after her, but she had to fend off Lock as he tried to knock her on her knees with his plunger and from time to time, tried to body slam her so that he could capture her. But Coraline was clever, watching the shadows that Lock makes when he jumps into the air. She also had to be quick, finishing off the skeletons while avoiding and striking Lock.

By the time the last skeleton was defeated, Lock was sitting on the ground, dizzy with his defeat. As Coraline approached the boy, she heard something large making a sound at the mausoleum. But before she could think about it, Lock spoke, gaining her attention.

"You win this time, Coraline."

Coraline's eyes narrowed at the devil boy.

"I hope for your sake, there won't be a next time."

Lock then placed a hand behind his back, trying to act innocent.

"Of course not. Whatever you say."

He then ran off, leaving Coraline alone.

With Lock gone, Coraline returned her focus to the crypt. As she approached the crypt, she heard a voice yell her name.

"Coraline!"

Coraline turned around to find Jack and Zero catching up to her. She turned around to face him as he asked.

"What happened?"

"Lock, that's what. He attacked me, but I managed to beat him."

She then turned her attention to the mausoleum, speaking her thoughts.

"But when I did, I heard something coming from this crypt."

Jack looked at the sepulcher in question, the answer forming in his mind.

"That must mean that the tomb is unlocked. After the last of the hanged men returned to the Hanging Tree, I was informed that one of them had heard singing coming from her. That was when Zero found me."

The two approaching the entrance to the crypt, Coraline then asked, "Do you think that Sally's here?"

Jack nodded. "I can feel it."

Without another word, the two heroes entered the foreboding ossuary.

* * *

><p>After passing a room filled with coffins, Jack and Coraline entered the heart of the tomb. The tomb was large enough to fit half of the Pink Palace Apartments inside. There was a large, stain-glass window on the other side. And so was someone else. Jack recognized her immediately.<p>

"Sally!"

Coraline saw that Sally was indeed the ragdoll she had seen in her vision, as the doll responded to the name. She looked to their side of the crypt, and with a surprised, happy, and relived smile on her face, she called out.

"Jack!"

Coraline watched with a smile as Jack and Sally raced toward each other, meeting at the center of the grave. But that happiness was short-lived as Coraline remembered another part of the vision. Looking up, Coraline saw the orange spiral her gut was warning her about. Her eyes widened, Coraline called out.

"Jack! Sally! Get out of there!"

But before the pair could respond, a thick, white, silk thread shot down from the ceiling and captured Sally, who screamed as the rope pulled her bound body up toward the ceiling.

"What's this?" Jack called out in shock.

His, and Coraline's, question was answered when a gigantic spider twice the size of an army tank jumped down and screeched. Readying their weapons, Jack and Coraline began to fight it.

* * *

><p><strong>Song Mode: Sally's Song<strong>

**Sally:** We should have known not to believe. And things would not have turned so bad~

_(Jack and Coraline sing as they dodge the charge attack of the spider)_

**Coraline: **It's true his plan was to deceive~

**Jack:** But that should not make you so sad~

_(Sally looks down with worry as the spider spits out webbing to trap the pair)_

**Sally:** But danger waits at every turn~

(_Using her sickle, Coraline cuts the webbing as Jack distracts the spider)_

**Jack and Coraline:** And we are ready~ to set things right here~

_(Sally looks down at Coraline, regretting bringing her into the mess she and the town caused.)_

**Sally:** How can you say~ that you will be okay~ and come back another day~

(_As they continue to look for a weak point, Sally watches in remorse as Jack and Coraline also look for a way to get to Sally.)_

**Sally:** What will become of our dear town~ now that we let our leader down~

_(After Coraline sees the weak spot at the back of the spider's abdomen, she motions to Jack to distract as she makes her way to the spot.)_

**Jack: **You know dear Sally that's not true~ we can take this town back, me and you~

_(Jack moves backwards from the spider's advances and vice versa, making it difficult for Coraline to strike.)_

**Sally:** There's so much danger yet to face~

(_Sally watches on as Coraline got closer.)_

**Coraline:** But we're not worried~

**Jack: **Back home I hurried~

(_The three sing as Jack tricks the spider into position as Coraline raises her sickle.)_

**Jack, Sally, and Coraline:** Now we must stop~ that evil Oogie's scheme~ and save our Halloween

_(Coraline cuts the spider's weak spot, causing it to screech in pain as it burrows underground.)_

**Sally:** We should have known not to believe. And things would not have turned so bad~

(_Smaller spiders appear from the floor, attacking Jack and Coraline.)_

**Coraline: **It's true his plan was to deceive~

**Jack:** But that should not make you so sad~

(_Jack and Coraline split up as they each took out a group of the spiders.)_

**Sally:** But danger waits at every turn~

(_The pair weren't quick enough as the spiders dug underground and the bigger one emerges.)_

**Jack and Coraline:** And we are ready~ to set things right here~

(_Jack notices that the spider had gotten smaller and relays the information to Coraline.)_

**Sally:** How can you say~ that you will be okay~ and come back another day~

(_Avoiding the charging spider again, our heroes changed positions, making Coraline the distraction.)_

**Sally:** What will become of our dear town~ now that we let our leader down~

_(Sally begins to fear for the mortal girl as Jack made his way to the back of the spider.)_

**Jack: **You know dear Sally that's not true~ we can take this town back, me and you~

(_Jack whips out his Soul Robber, preparing for a strike.)_

**Sally:** There's so much danger yet to face~

_(Coraline dances in a gypsy-like style, charming the spider so that it stayed still.)_

**Coraline:** But we're not worried~

**Jack: **Back home I hurried~

_(Jack hits the spot with his Soul Robber, making the spider shriek again.)_

**Sally:** You surly will~. Now we all count on you~ to see this trouble through~

_(Sally's hope's rose higher and higher as she witnessed that what the cat told her about Coraline was correct and saw how well she worked with Jack.)_

**Sally:** We should have known not to believe. And things would not have turned so bad~

_(Sally begins to pray (?) harder for the success of the Pumpkin King and the mortal.)_

**Coraline: **It's true his plan was to deceive~

**Jack:** But that should not make you so sad~

_(The spider dug underground again, causing the small spiders to come out.)_

**Sally:** But danger waits at every turn~

_(Jack and Coraline smirk as they each took a group again.)_

**Jack and Coraline:** And we are ready~ to set things right here~

_(Jack whips his Soul Robber in a circular motion, eliminating the spiders surrounding him.)_

**Sally:** How can you say~ that you will be okay~ and come back another day~

_(Coraline uses a combination of dance and her sickle to to slash, stab, and squish her batch.)_

**Sally:** What will become of our dear town~ now that we let our leader down~

_(Being quick, Coraline and Jack took out a larger portion of spiders before they went underground again.)_

**Jack: **You know dear Sally that's not true~ we can take this town back, me and you~

_(The giant spider resurfaces, unaware that Jack and Coraline were right in front of his weak point.)_

**Sally:** There's so much danger yet to face~

_(Swiftly, Jack and Coraline both struck the spider, forcing it to bury again.)_

**Coraline:** But we're not worried~

**Jack: **Back home I hurried~

_(As the last of the spiders came up, Jack and Coraline wasted no time to squish the remaining arachnids. This causes the heavily shrunken main spider to emerge once more.)_

**Jack, Sally, and Coraline: **If we work hard~ we'll overcome our shame~ and beat them at their game~

_(Without a word, both Pumpkin King and mortal each raised a foot and squashed the spider once and for all. A smile appears on Sally's face. The Heroes of the Holidays had finally come. )_

* * *

><p>With the spider defeated, Coraline began to look for a way to get Sally down when Jack noticed that the webbing holding Sally snapped, causing her to fall.<p>

"Sally!"

Coraline watched as a form of magic gently set the ragdoll into Jack's arms. A smile escaped from Coraline's lips as she saw a familiar heart-shaped door floating down in front of the pair, just as Jack was setting Sally back on her feet.

_"How appropriate. Jack saves his sweetheart, causing the Valentine's Door to appear."_

Coraline placed her hands in her pockets, as Jack collected the door and the three of them returning to the surface. Coraline then grinned as the stepped into the light, letting a proud thought embrace her mind.

_"Look out, Oogie. Other Mother. We're coming for you."_

* * *

><p><em>Phew! I've been working on this for a month and now I'm done. This chapter is dedicated to the holiday we all know and love: Halloween.<em>

_Also, I had a pic done by Carsis on deviantart. If you want to see it, look up One Step in my Coraline favorites folder. If you want to see it, go to my bio and clic on the link._

_Read and Review, please. Hold the flames._


	5. Coraline's Solo Quest

**Chapter 4**

**Coraline's Solo Quest**

_Sorry for the wait. Lots of things happened. This chapter may be a bit shorter than the last one, but I hope you guys enjoy it._

_I do not own NBC, Coraline, nor American McGee's Alice._

* * *

><p>After freeing Sally and retrieving the Valentine's Day door, Coraline and Jack returned to the Great Tree, where Jack knew Sally would be safe for a while.<p>

"Are you all right, Sally?" Jack asked.

"Oh, Jack. You came back!" Sally exclaimed happily.

Jack then spoke. "I got your note."

Coraline nodded, watching at a distance. Sally, with a worried look, pleaded to Jack.

"You have to rescue Dr. Finkelstein!" She then handed the Pumpkin King a mechanical-looking key. "This key opens the gate to his manor."

Jack accepted the key before he spoke again.

"Thanks Sally. I'm glad you're safe."

Sally turned away shyly. "We're all safe, now that our Pumpkin King has returned."

It was then Jack remembered something, much to Coraline's confusion.

"Pumpkin King? Sally, that's it!"

"What's it?" Both Coraline and Sally asked.

Jack explained happily.

"I am the Pumpkin King and I can use my Pumpkin Fire to fight Oogie, the Beldam, and their army. Good thinking, Sally."

Sally smiled. "Thank you, Jack."

"No. Thank you, Sally."

But as Jack began to leave, Sally stopped him, gesturing to Coraline.

"Jack. This girl. Is she the one who defeated the Beldam?"

Jack and the girl in question looked at each other before Jack gave his answer.

"Indeed. How rude of me. Coraline, this is Sally, the good doctor's assistant. Sally, this is Coraline. And yes, she is the one who had beaten the Beldam once before."

Coraline warily waved her hand.

"I-it's nice to meet you."

Sally nodded in response before she spoke to Jack again.

"Jack. Would it be alright if I can borrow Coraline for a while? Knowing the doctor, he would've set a series of traps for you and I need her help with something that can help you save the doctor."

Jack gave it some thought before he answered.

"Hmm. You may be right." He then looked at Coraline. "Will you be fine on your own?"

"I can handle it." Coraline answered simply.

With that said, the trio parted ways, Coraline with Sally. Looking at the girl, Sally spoke.

"I thank you, Coraline, for aiding Jack. From the bottom of my heart."

"I-it's no big deal. I was just at the right place at the right time." Coraline answered with uncertainty. "But…how can I help you? What can I do?"

Sally gave her riposte.

"Whether or not Jack can get through the doctor's traps, the doctor himself will prove to be a challenge. Especially concerning the various dangerous machines he's made as well as your… mortal state. But there's a way to remove some of those obstacles."

She then handed Coraline a small list.

"First, I need your help in collecting these items for the recipe for my Sleeping Soup. Once he drinks it, the doctor will fall fast asleep. I have written where you can find each item on the list."

The ragdoll then handed Coraline a small, golden-glowing pumpkin and a small bag.

"Second, take this special pumpkin to the Witch's Shop in town. Tell them that I sent you and they'll know what to do. The pouch holds the Souls needed to pay for the service and the Worm's Wart."

"_Worm's Wart?" _Coraline thought in shock.

"Anything else?" Coraline asked.

"Just to tell you to be careful." Sally told her.

With that, Coraline thanked Sally and headed to a section of graves that Sally told her where to find one of the ingredients. As she walked, Coraline read the list aloud.

"Ok. First, I need to find some 'Deadly Nightshade' by those graves. Then, I need to find a frog near the doctor's manor for 'Frog's Breath,' and finally *ugh*, I have to buy a jar of Worm's Wart at the Witch's Shop. If I get that last, I can give the witches the pumpkin at the same time."

She then looked at the pumpkin in her satchel.

"But how can a pumpkin help me?"

Closing the satchel, she pressed on.

"I guess I'll find out when I get there."

After several minutes, Coraline found herself in the section of the graveyard that Sally had pointed out. She looked at the graves until she found three that were not the graves of people. They had three different plants on them. And in the middle was…

"Deadly Nightshade."

Using her sickle, Coraline harvested some of the desired plant and placed what she collected in a jar that Sally gave her. Once the jar was filled, she closed the jar and placed it and her sickle back into her satchel.

"Alright. One down, three and a half to go."

With the Deadly Nightshade in her possession, Coraline returned to Halloween Town for the remaining items. She checked off Deadly Nightshade on the list as she spoke out the next item.

"Ok. Next up, Frog's Breath. Sally's note said the frog we need is in an area near the Acid Works. In front of the manor."

She then headed to a gate that reminded Coraline of the key that Sally had given Jack.

"I hope this is the right way."

* * *

><p>As Coraline entered the Acid Works, she walked until she came across two doors on the path to the tower-like manor on a hill ahead of her. Looking at the list for directions, Coraline followed them and went through the door on the left.<p>

Once inside, Coraline found a large swampy area filled with frogs.

"Whoa. That's a lot of frogs. But which one has the Frog's Breath?"

She waited until the frogs croaked to see the frog that ribbited out visible green breath.

"That must be it."

But as Coraline began to approach the frogs, they quickly became alert to her presence and began jumping into the water.

"No!" Coraline called as she ran to the desired frog.

But when it looked like the frog was going to get away, Coraline slid on her stomach and snatched the frog.

"Gotcha!"

Coraline then placed the frog in a canister that Sally also provided. As she returned to the square, Coraline removed her dirty shawl and placed it into her satchel.

"It may be dirty, but it can cushion fragile stuff we find."

She then headed to the Witch's Shop, taking out the pumpkin and pouch to give.

* * *

><p>When she came in, she immediately caught the Witch Sisters' attention.<p>

"Oh! Look at this, sister! It's that girl that was with Jack." The small witch exclaimed.

"Yes. What can we get you, dearie?" The tall witch asked.

Swallowing her nerves, Coraline spoke.

"I'm here on an errand for Sally. She needs Worm's Warts and she wanted me to give these to you. She says you know what to do?"

The small witch went to get the Worm's Wart for Coraline while the tall witch took the pumpkin and examined it.

"Oh, yes. I have heard that the doctor was working on such an item for such an emergency. Just give my sister and me a few minutes to prepare this."

"Why? What does it do?" Coraline asked.

"You'll just have to wait and see." The tall witch told her.

When the small witch returned with the Worm's Wart, Coraline was asked to wait outside until they were finished. Coraline obeyed and went outside. She hummed the song she, Jack, and Sally sang as she walked into the center of the spiral. She thought about what had been happening this day. First, she finds a circle of trees. Then, she fell into a world where Halloween is everything. The Other Mother came back, and she met the ruler of Halloween.

"The cat said 'Have you ever wondered where Holidays come from?' I wonder if the other holidays are like this. Alive with people, working on creating the perfect holiday."

As she mused herself, many questions began to plague Coraline. Ones that, if it were a better time, she would have enjoyed exploring Halloween Town and learning the secrets of the holidays. But there was one thing that still haunted her.

"Jack said that the Other Mother came from here. That meant that she was once a citizen of this town. And since she has lived a long time, I wonder if there are Ghost Eyes hidden in this town? Maybe. Since she started it all here."

The questions were interrupted when the small witch came out and called Coraline in. The blue-haired girl followed the witch inside and stopped at the counter. The tall witch then held out what seemed to be a card.

"Here it is. A card that can grant a mortal the gifts of Halloween."

Coraline took the card and looked at it. It was black with neon-orange markings. The back of the card looked like a spider's web surrounded by a ghost-like boarder. The front of the card had a scary-looking jack-o-lantern in the ace's center, a cat in one corner and a skull in the other. Underneath the cat and skull was an H.

"What should I do with this?" She asked.

The small witch explained. "That card will help you on your quest, child. Just think of the Meaning of Halloween when you need it. It will help you then."

That was all the witch's would say. Thanking them, Coraline paid the witches and left with the card and the Worm's Wart.

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><p>Once she reached the graveyard, she took a detour back to the Burial Chamber, now completely empty, save for a few small spiders. Setting her satchel on the stone bench, Coraline took out the card and walked to the center of the circle.<p>

"Think of Halloween." She mused. "What does that mean?"

Coraline thought about what makes Halloween. Candy. Pranks. Night. It was among those thoughts that Coraline remembered a song she heard the witches sang when they were working.

_Boys and girls of every age_

_Wouldn't you like to see something strange?_

_Come with us and you will see_

_This O' town of Halloween._

As she sang the song, Coraline began to think about the other things she knew about Halloween. Ghosts. Ghouls. A night when the border between the Spirit world and the Mortal plain becomes thin.

"_It's not about candy and pranks." _Coraline thought as she remembered something from class. _"It's about celebrating the ones we have lost with scares."_

At that thought, the card in Coraline's hand burst into flame. Shocked, Coraline attempted to toss the card onto the ground so she could put it out. But the flames quickly covered her body, disabling her from letting go of the card. Coraline braced herself for the pain, but it never came. Instead, as quickly as it appeared and covered her, the flames evaporated.

Confused on why she wasn't feeling pain, Coraline opened her eyes and looked at her hands. They had no burns on them.

"What happened?" She asked.

It was then that she noticed that she wasn't wearing the clothes she came in, but in a whole new ensemble. Using the stained glass window, Coraline looked at her reflection and gaped.

She was in an American McGee's Alice-looking dress, but it was orange, with a black pinafore that had an orange pumpkin on the knot of the bow, a cat on one pocket and a Scorpio symbol on the other. She had black and orange stripped stockings and black boots that had an inch of heel and curled toes. On Coraline's head was a large, black, witch's hat with an orange ribbon wrapped around the brim of the hat with a black spider pin connecting the cloth. The lower part of her hair was tied back in a black tie that had an orange spider on it.

"Whoa. Is this…?"

But as Coraline reached out to touch the glass, a fireball shot out of her hand and hit the window before it bounced onto the floor.

"Fire…magic?"

Coraline stood in shock for a few minutes before she remembered the ingredients Sally needed. So she grabbed her satchel and headed back to the giant tree, still in her new form.

* * *

><p>As soon as she got back, Coraline gave Sally the ingredients for the Sleeping Soup. While she was preparing the soup, Sally explained that the pumpkin that she had given Coraline was made by the doctor to have similar powers as the Pumpkin King. It was completed a few months ago, but Dr. Finkelstein decided to wait until it was an emergency before he could ask the Witch Sisters to turn the 'enchanted' pumpkin into a card. Sally had managed to grab it before she was taken.<p>

She then explained to Coraline that the form she was in, which they decided to call the '**Halloween Witch**,' can cast fireballs and make a ring of fire to attack surrounding enemies. Coraline got the chance to practice when a group of White Skeletons appeared.

It turned out to be a great advantage to Coraline.

When the White Skeletons were defeated, the Sleeping Soup was finished. Sally then poured some of the brew into a sort of a canteen and handed it to Coraline.

"Finished. Once the doctor drinks this soup, he'll be out like a light."

"Perfect. Thanks again, Sally. I'm sure Jack would agree with me when I say 'we'll defiantly need it.'"

Sally thanked Coraline and wished her luck as the mortal girl headed off to meet up with the Pumpkin King.

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><p><em>Please Review and don't flame me.<em>


	6. The Doctor's Prescription

**Chapter 5**

**The Doctor's Prescription**

_Sorry this was late. I was trying to figure out what to do for Coraline's second dress and I had to update other fics as well. I hope you enjoy it. Also, I will only do a couple of Chapters in Song Mode. Ones that I feel are appropriate to for a chapter. Not age wise, but in timing._

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><p>Coraline paced herself as she made her way back to the Acid Works to meet rendezvous with Jack to get to the doctor. As she walked, she thought about what had been happening and noticed that there hadn't been any signs of the Other Mother's handiwork. None of the monsters she and Jack fought had buttons for eyes. The Other Mother's signature.<p>

"So what part does she have in this mess other than reviving Oogie? This doesn't make any sense."

She placed her hands in the pockets of her pinafore, only to be alerted by a small object in one of the pockets. Pulling out, Coraline was surprised to find a small, green triangle stone with the middle cut out. This was the same kind of stone she was given by Miss Spink and Miss Forcible when she freed the three ghost children from last time.

But what was it doing in her pocket? The stone she previously had burned to ashes in the Other Mother's fireplace into a green puff of smoke.

"What in the world? I thought this was in ashes."

"Sometimes, it is wise to have a pair." Spoke a familiar voice.

Coraline turned to find the cat walking on the top of the wall that led down the path.

She looked at the stone before she asked an answer.

"A pair? You mean that this came from Miss Spink and Forcible? But I didn't see them putting it in my pocket."

"I am certain that they must have placed it in case of an emergency. And a good thing too."

Coraline raised her eyebrow in questioning the cat.

"What do you mean?"

The cat gave her a simple answer before taking off to parts unknown.

"The Beldam has been alive longer than you think. Remember _how_ she has stayed that way. It may come in handy in the near future."

Once the cat was gone again to who-knows-where, Coraline looked at the stone in her hand. If she had it, and the Other Mother was here too, then does that mean that there are ghost eyes hidden around? Not wanting to second-guess herself, Coraline decided to do some detective work. Deciding that it was somewhere where she and Jack fought something big, Coraline returned to the mausoleum where she and Jack saved Sally.

Taking out the stone, Coraline placed the rock over her eye and, like in the Other World; the stone enabled her to see things not visible to the naked eye. Keeping her wits about her and the stone over her eye, Coraline walked down the corridor of the crypt, searching for the eye. It wasn't until she was in the main chamber that Coraline found a small, sphere-like object tangled in a mass of web near the stain glass.

Since the creator of the web was dead, Coraline wasted no time in freeing the object with her sickle. The webbing was thick and sticky, but she freed the eye. The eye was in the form of a small, blue marble about the size of a small rubber ball. The design was a Cat's Eye, but Coraline knew that there was more within the small object.

The marble flickered its color, and a spirit of a young boy appeared. From what Coraline could tell, he was about twelve. His clothing suggested that he was from Colonial England. She couldn't tell his coloring from his pasty white form, but she recognized the buttons sewn into his eyes.

And he was frightened of her.

Coraline held up a hand and spoke softly.

"I-it's ok. I'm not going to hurt you."

The boy slowly uncoiled as he looked at her.

"The Beldam… Is she near…?" He asked.

Coraline shook her head.

"Not that I know of. But from what I can tell, you were one of her victims?"

The deceased boy nodded.

"I do not remember my name… But I remember my true mother…"

He then looked at Coraline's gaze.

"You know of her…don't you…?"

Coraline nodded.

"Yes. She tried to take my life when I was about your age. But I had beaten her once and freed three ghost children. This is the world where she was born and she is loose somewhere here. But I can help. Me and a friend of mine are trying to stop her and another. Tell me…are there any more dead children that she has taken here?"

The boy, wanting to be free and to help, nodded.

"Yes, milady. There are five others that need to be free."

It was then that the boy vanished into the marble, waiting for the day he can be freed.

Coraline felt in her messenger bag until she found the empty pouch that Sally had given her to help make the Sleeping Soup. The pouch was empty, having spent the Souls on the Worm's Wart and the Halloween Witch card. Since Sally was letting her keep it, Coraline decided to put the pouch to good use.

She placed the marble into the pouch and tied it up, so that the eye and those she would find wouldn't fall out. Even as a teenager, Coraline found the Other Mother's use of her 'children' sickening. It made her wonder why the Other Mother brought them to Halloween Town in the first place.

Whatever the reason, Coraline knew that she had to find them. She also hoped that Jack and the residents of Halloween Town would help.

Without another word, Coraline left the tomb and headed to the rendezvous point at the Acid Works. As she passed the town square, she reminded herself to check the Town Hall later for an eye.

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><p>When Coraline returned to the Acid Works, her attention turned to a sudden crash coming from the section across the place where she found the Frog's Breath. As she quickly approached the intersection, Jack came out from the direction where the crash was heard.<p>

"Jack! What happened?"

Jack answered her, not noticing Coraline's new attire.

"I've disabled the generator to the doctor's manor. But knowing the good doctor, the generator might repair itself in a matter of minutes. I, for one, would like to get into the manor before that happens."

After hearing that statement, Coraline wasted no time in standing around. She ran with Jack, passing the monsters and still-active traps without caring if they should take them out or not. Not with only a minute before the manor's defenses were back online. They made it by the skin of their teeth as an electric bolt shot at them as they reached the door.

Now that they were out of the range of the electric weapon and in front of the doctor's manor, Jack spoke.

"As long as I have known the good doctor, I still can't see that he would do all of this."

Coraline, remembering the Other Father's sacrifice four years ago, came up with a theory. Looking at Jack, she told him.

"What if this doctor is doing this _against _his will? Maybe Oogie and the Other Mother did something to him to make him do this."

Jack pondered at Coraline's theory for a moment, realizing that she had a point.

"You're right, Coraline! If the doctor is an unwilling pawn in this, then that might explain most of this perplexing puzzle."

Remembering the marble in her messenger bag, Coraline brought it out and showed it to Jack.

"This may look like an ordinary marble, but it contains a dead child's eye. It is what the Other Mother did to the children she caught and eaten."

Jack examined the eye for a moment to the point where he saw the boy inside. Remembering Coraline's tale and what the Beldam did with the eyes of three of these children, finding one in Halloween Town proved to be disturbing.

Returning the eye to Coraline, Jack spoke.

"I take it that there is more than one child here."

Coraline nodded.

"Five more. Hidden in different places in and around Halloween Town, no doubt."

Jack placed a finger on his chin as he pondered. This was completely different from anything he had heard about the Beldam and Oogie's plans from the past. Why did they need the eyes of dead children? And for what purpose? All Jack could figure out was that he and Coraline needed to find the eyes. Not only for Halloween Town, but for the children's sake as well.

Hearing the thundering noise from up above, Jack managed to shake out of his thoughts and speak to Coraline.

"It seems that we need to do more than find Oogie and the Beldam if we are to beat them."

Coraline nodded and thanked Jack for helping her to find the remaining eyes.

But such an endeavor would have to wait. Right now, the entered Doctor Finklestein's manorto confront the doctor and diagnosed his 'ailment.'

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><p>Once they were inside, Coraline and Jack stopped at the center of the ground floor as they heard Shock speak from above.<p>

"I was wondering when you'd get here! Think you can reach me? Try it. It's fun. I know I'm having a ball!"

Shock then pulled a lever that caused a contraption near her to release metal boulders down the spiraling ramp.

"I don't want to crush your spirits. Just your bodies!"

Coraline looked to find an alternate route, but it was clear that the ramp was the only way up. She ran alongside Jack as they headed up the ramp. Once the boulder got close enough, Coraline managed to slip inside a series of spaces along the wall of the manor as Jack used his Soul Robber to hoist himself onto a ledge as the boulder passed them. They've repeated the process until they managed to reach Shock, who was waving a white flag as they approached.

"I'm sorry Jack. I was only playing a trick."

Jack pointed his finger at Shock as he scolded the witch-dressed girl.

"Stop helping Oogie and the Beldam. I mean it."

"Okay~" Shock nodded.

Coraline caught a glimpse of Shock, like Lock before her, crossing her fingers behind her back. But before she could say anything, Shock ran off, leaving Coraline and Jack to the dangers on the floor above them. Looking at the elevator, Jack spoke.

"Are you ready?"

Coraline nodded as she and Jack stood on the elevating platform which took them to the laboratory.

* * *

><p>Once they've reached the floor they needed to be on, Coraline and Jack found the doctor sitting in the center of the room, looking out at the setting sun. Coraline stood still as Jack approached the doctor.<p>

"Doctor Finkelstein! Why are you doing this?"

The hairs on the back of Coraline's neck stood as the doctor spoke without moving.

"Ah, Jack. I see you managed to make it here. And with the girl that the Beldam wants, too."

He then turned around.

"You've been busy, Jack. I think it's time for you to rest."

To Coraline's surprise and disgust, the doctor flipped up his cranium cap and rubbed the brain inside. But it wasn't like any brain Coraline had seen.

The same with Jack.

Instead of a normal brain, a green blob-with eyes-for-a-brain rested in the exposed skull. It was Jack that exclaimed it.

"Oogie switched your brain!"

'_How is such a thing even possible?' _thought Coraline.

Closing his cap, the doctor spoke again.

"Shall we begin? I think you'll like this device. I made it _especially _for YOU!"

The maddened scientist brought the pair's attention to the ring over his head. The device had whirling, rotating blades, guns, and the same kind of electrical device that was seen outside the manor.

Coraline looked until she spotted a tray with the doctor's real brain sitting on it.

"Jack! To you right!" She whispered.

Jack glanced and saw what Coraline was seeing.

"I see it, Coraline. All we need to do is to switch the brain to save the doctor."

It was then that Coraline remember the soup.

"I have just the thing!"

Jack, following Coraline's lead, distracted the doctor by dodging the machines as Coraline snuck her way to the back of the doctor's chair. It took a series of dodging and ducking from the doctor's gaze that Coraline managed to sneak the Sleeping Soup onto a steady table next to him. To Coraline and Jack's relief, the doctor took notice of the soup and drank it.

Within a matter of seconds, he was asleep. Nodding to Jack, Coraline snuck behind the doctor's chair again and lifted the lid. Jack took the chance to use his Soul Robber to pull out one half of the rotten brain and replace it with the real one. But just as Jack was about to repeat the process, the doctor woke up.

Coraline jumped back as the doctor went into an outrage, firing things at Jack. As she was about to come up with another plan to help Jack, Coraline noticed that the top of the machine was shimmering.

Like an eye.

Using the distraction to her advantage, Coraline took out the stone again and peered at a small, golf ball-sized sphere above. Instead of a dull brown, it was shining teal.

"It is an eye!"

She watched as electricity came out of the eye and powered the devices that were after Jack. Coraline made the connection and scanned the room until she found a ladder.

Coraline climbed up the ladder as she motioned to Jack that she was going to disable the machine and get the eye while he took care of the doctor's remaining brain. Jack understood and used the radius of the room to his advantage while Coraline crawled her way to the eye.

But as she got close enough to reach for it, she had to withdraw her hand as the electricity continued to form around the eye.

"I have to get that electricity away from the eye. It's no doubt the power source, but how can I get to it when it is in motion?"

Just then, Coraline dodged some lightning as it got near her sickle. It was then that Coraline remembered something she learned from Wybie and science classes. Metal conducts electricity! Meaning that her sickle was a small lightning rod to her.

After noticing the gaps between electrical charges, Coraline came up with a plan. After an electrical discharge had passed, she used most of her strength to insert the sickle into the machine, taking on the charges, and pulled the eye off the device.

Without a conduit to circulate the energy, the machine was beginning to short circuit. As Coraline made her way down the ladder, Jack, seeing the doctor distracted with Coraline's vandalism, took this chance to pull open the doctor's head once more and pulled out the bad brain while Coraline grabbed the normal one and tossed it to Jack as she ran, who quickly placed it into the doctor's head as the machine exploded, leaving no trace of the sickle.

Thankfully, none of the parts landed on Jack, Coraline, or the doctor.

With the machine destroyed and the ghost eye in Coraline's possession, a familiar shimmering light revealed a door in the shape of a shamrock. Jack explained to the now-sane doctor about what has been going on in the town as well as introducing Coraline to him. With the emergence of the door, more questions stormed into the two adventurers' minds.

Doctor Finklestein spoke.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I never imagined my brain would be replaced and the town deceived…"

Jack gestured to the door.

"Doctor! The Saint Patrick's Day Door…"

The doctor looked at the door and spoke.

"Indeed. That is a Holiday Door. Hmm?"

It was then that the doctor had a frightening thought.

"Jack! Coraline! What's today's date?"

"Today?" Coraline asked as she thought.

Jack spoke as well. "Why, today is…"

It was then that both of them realized the same thing as they said the date at the same time.

**"December 24th!"**

"Oh no! It's almost Christmas!"

Coraline's eyes widened at Jack's statement. Remembering the tale she heard from Jack about the year before, the teen feared for the leader of Christmas.

"I wonder what's happening with the Christmas Door. Let's hope we can find it soon."

It was then that Jack spoke.

"We need to go to the Pumpkin Patch. But it won't be easy."

"Why not?" Coraline asked, figuring out the answer already.

"Because Oogie's monsters have possessed the pumpkins at the entrance. Blocking anyone from entering."

That was a problem. Thankfully, the doctor came up with an idea.

"I know! We'll scare those monsters out of the pumpkins! Give me a moment."

The doctor then looked at Coraline.

"And I have just the replacement weapon for you, young lady. Just give me a moment."

Coraline thanked the doctor as he left to get the things needed for her and Jack to continue.

Shortly after, Sally came into the laboratory, carrying a large, green present with a red ribbon tied on it.

"Is the doctor himself again?"

Jack and Coraline turned their attention to Sally.

"Yes! He's making a device to help us defeat Oogie's army as well as finding up a new weapon for Coraline. Her sickle was destroyed in the explosion."

Sally then handed Jack the gift.

"Jack, do you think this might be helpful, too?"

Jack took the present, curious as to what was inside.

"What's this?"

It was then that, upon his touch, that the present disappeared into a flurry of snow and shrouded Jack. When the snow cleared, Coraline saw her friend in a Santa-like attire, complete with a beard and hat.

"It's Sandy's costume!"

As Jack examined his attire, Sally turned to Coraline and handed her another card.

"I've just got this from the Witch Sisters. It should help."

Coraline took the card in confusion and, like Jack before her, was covered in a flurry of snowflakes.

When the snowflakes cleared, she found herself in a Christmas theme version of Halloween Witch but with differences.

The dress was blood red and the pinafore was white and had hollies on the pockets. The black boots remained the same and she had pure black stockings on. Her hair was adorned with hollies and the knot of the pinafore was in the form of a gold ornament.

The pair heard the doctor laugh as he came from his search.

"Those outfits really suit you both! I completed the scare device. If I told you what's in it, though, that would ruin the surprise! Hide this in your Sandy bag, and use it to stun Oogie's Monsters!"

As Jack was placing the device in his bag, the doctor then brought out a glass jar. Inside was a light blue version of the Soul Robber. And it was fidgeting inside.

"I've made this shortly after I gave Jack his. It should work just as well as his."

Coraline opened the jar and was startled as the glob came to life and wrapped itself around her right wrist.

"I am certain that your Soul Robber will come in handy. In the meantime, while you and Jack continue searching Halloween Town, I will take part and aid in finding those eyes."

Coraline thanked the doctor as she looked as her Soul Robber.

This was turning into a _very _interesting Christmas.

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><p><em>Please review and no flaming.<em>


	7. Pumpkin Pandemonium

**Chapter 6**

**Pumpkin Pandemonium**

_Whoo!iSorry tt's been a long time. I had three fics in a contest and I had to update them every month since May. The contest is over and it's getting close to Halloween, I'm gonna try to update 'Coraline's Nightmare' for a while. I am FREE! :D_

_I do not own The Nightmare Before Christmas, nor Coraline._

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><p>After Jack had taught her how to use the Soul Robber, Coraline and the Pumpkin King left the doctor's lab and made their way through the Acid Works back to the town square. Once there, Jack spoke as he walked.<p>

"This way, Coraline. The Pumpkin Patch is an important place for Halloween. Hopefully, the Behemoth has the key to the residential area of the town."

Coraline didn't question Jack vocally, but her head was still full of questions. She wondered what a Behemoth was, or why the pumpkin patch was important aside from making Jack-o-Lanterns, but kept quiet after the events that had happened today. Putting a hand in one of her pockets, she found the eye that she acquired from Finklestein's machine.

As Jack unlocked a nearby gate that surly must've lead to the patch, Coraline took out the stone and took a look at the eye before putting it in her shawl in her messenger bag. The victim this time was a girl dressed in Victorian clothing, her braided hair draped over her shoulder. From what Coraline could guess, the girl was no more than thirteen. Like the boy before her, she had buttoned eyes.

The sound of the gate opening brought Coraline back to reality and followed Jack down a path that was settled between two cliff walls before seeing the sight of menacing faces glowing in the evening's edge. As they got closer to the first batch of pumpkins, Coraline could see in the distance a gigantic Jack-o-Lantern looking as if it was keeping watch over the largest pumpkin field Coraline had ever seen. The pumpkin was the size of a two-story building and, to Coraline, looked more menacing than the rest of the pumpkins.

But Coraline's attention returned to the path ahead of her as Jack donned his Santa costume and began toss two presents in front of four dimly lit pumpkins and lifted her right hand, which her Soul Robber was attached to, and watched as the presents jolted with life as two Jack-in-the-boxes burst, as did the pumpkins, which to Coraline's surprise held a ghost each.

When the ghosts appeared, Jack and Coraline got to work in taking them out, continuing down the path until they reached a ledge. As they made their way down, Coraline spotted a man in overalls dully walking around among the pumpkins on the ledge below. It wouldn't have bothered Coraline had it not been for the fact that the man had an axe sticking out of his head, stitches around the blade, and his skin being grey.

As they approached, Jack spoke to the man.

"Behemoth! The Pumpkin Patch is a mess!"

The man managed to speak, his voice deep, slow, and dull. The emotion Coraline gathered was sad.

"It's the bad'uns. They ruin it. Break the bridge. The Big Pumpkin Head. Bad'uns eat it, too. My precious pumpkins."

Sure enough, Coraline could see some ghosts circling around the giant pumpkin and the shortest way leading to it was destroyed. The mortal girl couldn't help but pity Behemoth's situation. She grew pumpkins back at the Pink Palace in her little garden she started back when she was twelve and was impressed with the pumpkins at this particular patch. So it was no wonder she was a bit saddened to hear about the infestation that plagued the patch and what it was doing to the large gourds.

The sudden wailing of the cat-siren brought Coraline and Jack to their senses as they heard Oogie Boogie made another announcement.

"Hello? Testing… Testing… 1, 2, 3. Am I on? A-hem! Denizens of Oogie Town! Jack has returned! According to the reports… heh…heh... he's enjoying our dangerous Oogie Town so he's screaming in horror! Rejoice! This is all thanks to your efforts! Ba ha, ha, ha! Barrel, my star pupil, my prodigal son, my shining star. Be a good boy and finish the work your half-witted, half-pint, half-alive playmates could not. Because if you don't there's more than half a chance I'll be very, very, very, ANGRY!"

Coraline didn't need to know that taking out Jack wasn't the only thing Barrel had to do. He'd still have to bring her to the Other Mother if he would succeed. Deciding to set the announcement for another time, Coraline turned to Jack.

"Is there any other way to the Big Pumpkin Head?"

Jack answered her.

"There is. But we would have to travel though a large pumpkin maze to do that. And seeing that there is no other option, we should get moving."

The mortal couldn't agree more as she followed the Pumpkin King through yards of pumpkins of various sizes and the gnarled vines of the gourds, to the upper part of the glowing greenish river. There, Jack used his Soul Robber to latch onto a gnarled branch of a tree and swung across. Coraline did the same thing; the only difference was landing on her rear near the edge of the bank, while Jack had landed on his feet perfectly.

But no sooner did Coraline recover did skeletons, much larger than the ones she and Jack had fought, rose up from the ground and swung their clubs around. And from the looks of them, they were going to be tough to beat. But thankfully, Jack had turned into his Pumpkin King form and blew fire at two of the louts, revealing to him and Coraline that they were vulnerable to fire.

So Coraline drew her Halloween Witch card and used her fireballs to take out her half of the 'Ogre Skeletons' as she mentally dubbed them. It took several minutes to defeat them and both travelers decided to stay in their Fire States for a while. And a good thing, too. For the Ogres kept popping up until Jack and Coraline reached the other side of the patch of land they were on and swung across another part of the river with the aid of their Soul Robbers and a gnarled root that hung from the high wall that separated the pumpkin patch from the rest of the Holiday World.

But just as it couldn't get any worse, out of nowhere, Lock, Shock, and Barrel hopped onto a large root in front of them. Barrel spoke.

"Hey Jack, want some candy?"

Jack held out his arm and refused, clearly not amused.

"No thanks. Coraline and I have had enough of your treats."

The tricksters hopped off the root as Lock spoke.

"Aw, Jack, we're just getting started."

"Our biggest trick is yet to come." Said Shock.

Then Barrel again as the root came to life and allowed the pranksters to get away.

"You're gonna get so lost. And, after what we did to The Mayor's house… Oops! Wasn't supposed to tell you that. Catch you later, Jack!"

But just as Jack and Coraline were about to go after them, the root moved and blocked off their path.

"Drat! We'll have to go the long way around to get to the Big Pumpkin Head. No doubt that's where they are heading." Jack replied.

"And this maze will get us there?" Coraline asked.

Jack nodded as he lead the way.

"Stay close, Coraline. It is easy to get lost in here."

Coraline nodded as she followed Jack through the patch. She was confused at first when Jack used his Soul Robber to smack a jack-o-lantern on a pile of dried vines until she saw a large root nearby coil up in reaction. She guessed then that those particular pumpkins are somehow connected to those roots, so she kept on letting Jack lead on as they made their way through the maze.

As they made their way through the pumpkin maze, memories of the Other Father came flooding to Coraline. She knew he wasn't really a bad guy, only a puppet forced to attack her by the Other Mother. He even helped her recover the first eye when she first confronted the Other Mother before he and the praying mantis tractor fell into the garden pond, never to be seen again.

The memories began to fade into the back of Coraline's mind as she mentally began to hate mazes. It seemed like an hour or two before she and Jack FINALLY got through and crossed the stream with the aid of their Soul Robbers. Once they touched land, the two adventurers crossed a second bridge that was connected to the plot that had the big pumpkin head.

"That's one big pumpkin." Coraline muttered to herself as she and Jack looked at the massive gourd.

It was then that she spotted several phantoms flying around the pumpkin.

"Jack! Look!" Coraline called as she pointed to the pumpkin.

Jack looked up and saw the wisps flying around with horror.

"They're attacking from within."

The two looked around until Jack's gaze caught sight of a coiled root at the mouth of the pumpkin.

"We'd better climb up and have a look, Coraline."

That was one of the disadvantages of the Soul Robber Coraline saw. While she would've loved to be able to bungee upwards as a kid, as a teenager that is about to enter into womanhood it was different in a negative sense. After Jack made his way to the top, Coraline reluctantly whipped her Soul Robber at the same root and was flung up to the top. She missed by a few inches, so she was grateful that Jack helped her finish climbing up.

Once they were on the giant pumpkin, the travelers found that the way into the giant pumpkin was to go through a large hole that the ghosts and skeletons had created when they began to assault the gourd. When Coraline landed on her feet inside, she was surprised to find that the inside was a lot softer than she originally thought yet sturdy enough to hold sufficient weight.

After Jack came down, the two kept following the eaten trail until they finally reached that hard bottom of the pumpkin, where Barrel and some skeletons were eating some smaller pumpkins they had stolen from the Behemoth earlier. Coraline wondered how anyone could eat through the rind without losing teeth or any other problems as she and Jack approached Barrel.

The skeleton-garbed boy took immediate notice and was surprised.

"What?! You made it through my maze?"

Jack then folded his thin arms as he spoke to Barrel, looking more menacing than Coraline ever thought was possible with such an intriguing person.

"Now Barrel, it's time we taught you a lesson."

But Barrel was quick and sent his batch of skeletons to attack.

"Get them! But capture only the girl! _She _and Oogie want her alive!"

Nausea befell in Coraline's stomach, understanding that they want her to suffer for her meddling and her escape. Not wanting to give Barrel or his minions a chance, Coraline fought fiercely alongside Jack, who was flinging skeletons left and right just as fierce in strength. And it wasn't enough that they had the rouge skeletons to worry about, but Barrel joined in by using a slingshot to shoot pebbles at them, particularly Jack.

Seeing her friend in peril, Coraline took it upon herself to use her Soul Robber to strike Jack's assailant. Coraline was never a person who would strike children, but Barrel, like his playmates, was no child to her. More like little monsters that needed strict discipline, especially since this entire mess was the trio's fault. Coraline and Jack kept striking and fighting until all of the skeletons were dust and Barrel was out of commission .

As a sign of their victory, a familiar light appeared and another Holiday Door gently hovered down to the two adventurers. It was the Thanksgiving door, the turkey was shining like the previous doors they had collected. Remembering her secondary quest, Coraline got out the stone and looked through it.

Sure enough, the next eye was in the form of the smallest pumpkin Coraline had ever seen. Placeintg the stone back into her pocket, Coraline collected the door and the eye, while Jack approached the dizzy Barrel and knelt down . She watched in disbelief as Jack scolded the child.

"Barrel. Pranks are one thing, but real danger is not a good idea."

_"You've got to be kidding! After what his friends did, do you really think this kid's gonna listen to your lectures, Jack?"_ Coraline thought in skepticism.

Sure enough, Barrel played the pumpkin king.

"…I'm sorry, Jack."

Then Jack spoke again.

"Now…no more serving Oogie."

"Ok, Jack."

Coraline looked back a bit as she and Jack left the Big Pumpkin Head to find Barrel waving and having one hand behind his back. No doubt he was crossing his fingers, making his words false.

Returning her attention to the road ahead, Coraline handed Jack the Thanksgiving door as she followed him to a tree near where they had met Behemoth. They had seen that it was a bit rotten around the trunk, enabling them to send it over as a bridge with a few whacks of their Soul Robbers. Once they were across and delivered the good news to Behemoth, Coraline asked a question as they returned to the town square.

"So? What do we do now?" Jack answered her as he opened the gate.

"I'm worried about the Mayor. From what Barrel said back at the maze, I fear something terrible must have happened. So I wish to check up on him and hopefully, we can learn where Oogie and the Beldam are hiding."

Coraline's stomach went through some loop-de-loops at the thought of confronting the Other Mother. It was a frightening encounter and who knows what she had plans for taking the teen's life.

She looked at the eye and saw it in the form of another girl, a garden lover by the look of her clothes. Much like her and the irony of this being a pumpkin garden that, no doubt, the child would've love to tend to if she were still alive.

Coraline could only hope that, like that fateful day four years ago, Lady Luck was smiling down on her, and she would not become another victem, an eye missing and replaced with black buttons.


	8. The Vampire Brothers Tell All

**Chapter 7**

**The Vampires Brothers Tell All**

_Whoot! I'm on a roll this month!_

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><p>Jack and Coraline returned to Halloween Town's square after their trip through the giant pumpkin patch ended. The two separated for a bit as Jack went to his house to grab the key to another section of town while Coraline stayed by the fountain and decided to eat the sandwich she packed at the beginning of her unusual trip. Carefully eating the chicken and mayonnaise sandwich, Coraline was hardly surprised that she could eat in such a place with the situation it was in.<p>

Despite being chased by Oogie's henchmen and attacked by various dangers all around, Coraline was actually enjoying her voyage to this wondrous land. The dark of night had arrived ever so quickly, despite it being hours since she arrived that Christmas Eve morning, the moonlight illuminating the macabre town in its beautiful glow.

Upon arrival, she was truly frightened at the odd residents of the town and their frightening fun. But now, she had many new friends, especially Sally, Zero, and Jack. Coraline learned new things by the hour and no doubt many more to learn as the journey continued. But despite the macabre wonder, the teenager was beginning to become homesick.

She missed her odd neighbors; Miss Spink and Miss Forcible along with their living and dead Scotties, Mr. Bobinsky and his dancing mice circus, Wybie and his grandmother. But most of all, her parents. Her thoughts then turned to how she was going to get home. If she can get home, that is. Coraline wondered if this homesickness was what Dorothy felt when she first landed in Oz, or when Alice entered Wonderland?

But Coraline wasn't either of those girls. She was a teenager, nearly a grown woman, who was content with being at home and exploring Halloween Town. But she wasn't sure if anyone here would be able to get her home.

Her thoughts were broken as she heard the gate in front of Jack's house squeaking open. She had already polished off her only meal of the day and was waiting patiently, though the thoughts of home still plagued her. She told herself to save her homesickness for another time, preferably after Oogie and the Other Mother were defeated once and for all.

Coraline walked up to Jack as he approached a gate that was right next to the town hall.

Curious, she asked, "Where does this path go?"

Jack answered her as he unlocked the gate.

"This leads to the residential area of the town. It's called 'Hemlock Homestead'. After what Barrel managed to slip out back at the maze, I'm worried about the Mayor. Hopefully, he's alright."

The teenager was even more curious about the rest of the town. From the graveyard, where she landed, the town looked rather small to her. But now she had learned that the town was bigger than she originally thought. Talk about an optical illusion. Once Jack opened the gate, she eagerly followed the Pumpkin King into the town.

But Hemlock Homestead was far from a quiet neighborhood, as screaming caused by a familiar voice was heard from the first few blocks after a stone bridge from the square. Wondering what in the world was going on, Jack and Coraline headed down the path until they reached the first set of blocks, where they found Clown riding his unicycle uncontrollably. And he wasn't the only resident in the area.

Various creatures were in their homes, watching the scene from their windows. Worry painted across their faces. The only one who wasn't inside was the Big Witch, who was at the entrance to the area. Turning around to find Jack and Coraline, the witch told them what was going on.

"I was on my way home to get some supplies when I heard someone screaming and saw Clown riding around. It seems those Oogie baddies installed some kind of engine in Clown's unicycle!"

This was a surprise as the witch continued to speak.

"I wonder if either of you might have anything in your bags of tricks to slow him down."

At the words 'bag of tricks', Jack came up with an idea.

"I believe we do. But we need to find a way to get that engine off once he's stopped."

It didn't take much to know that even if Jack managed to stop Clown, there would only be a small window of opportunity before the engine would start up again. It was then Coraline came up with an idea.

"What about the doctor? Maybe he has a tool that can help us."

"Brilliant idea, Coraline!" Jack exclaimed with glee. "But can you go and get the tool? I need to stay here and explain the plan to Clown. If I can get to him, that is."

Coraline nodded and took off in a run back to the square and back to the Acid Works. From there, she ran up the stairs and into the tower, where she ran up the ramp until she reached the elevator that lead up to the doctor's laboratory.

The doctor turned in his wheelchair and found Coraline.

"Oh, is that you, Coraline?"

Coraline nodded as she spoke.

"Yeah. But I need to borrow a tool. Clown's unicycle has been tampered with by Oogie's monsters and Jack has an idea on how to stop him, even if it's temporary. But we need a tool to take off the engine before it can take off again."

"Oh. Well help yourself, my dear. If you need anything else, feel free to ask."

Coraline thanked the doctor and began to rummage through a toolbox for the right tool. She found a brace drill that looked perfect for the job. Taking the tool, Coraline took the elevator back down and headed down the ramp again until she reached the door. She then ran back to Hemlock Homestead, where Jack was waiting.

Showing the tool, Coraline spoke.

"I've got it."

"Excellent! Now, to Clown."

Jack switched to his Santa form and ran into the middle of the street and took out a present from his sack and set it in the middle of the street. Jack then stood back and waited until Clown was close enough to the package to activate the Jack-in-the-Box, surprising Clown and his unicycle to a halt.

"Now, Coraline!"

Coraline dashed to Clown's side and began to remove the screws that connected the engine to the unicycle. She got the last screw just in time as the engine took off again, thankfully without Clown and out of town. With the contraption 'fixed', Jack joined Coraline by Clown, who was looking a little dizzy.

"At last… I've finally stopped! Whew! My eyes are spinning!"

Clown then turned away to heave, nearly making Coraline do the same.

After Clown recovered, Jack spoke.

"Are you alright, Clown?"

Clown nodded, but had a worried look on his face.

"Yes, thanks to you and Coraline. I hope those Vampire Brothers up the street are ok. I saw some of Oogie's monsters headed that way when my cycle went psycho."

Coraline looked up to where Clown was looking and saw a huge manor with a black bat silhouette stone edifice at the entrance overlooking Hemlock Homestead. She silently gulped at the thought of meeting real vampires. And not the sparkly ones that had become overdone in modern media.

Her attention turned toward a closed iron gate as Jack spoke to Clown.

"I hope so, too, but the gate is closed and Coraline and I can't get through."

Clown did a spin on his unicycle as he spoke.

"No problem. There's a secret lever on the top of my house. I'll open the gate for you, and the Mayor's house is on the other side."

Clown then left the pair and returned to his house to do as he had said. The travelers didn't have to wait long for the gate to open on its own, granting them access to the rest of the area.

It wasn't a long trip to the vampires' manor, but each step made Coraline more and more nervous. She knew Jack would be alright, but what about her? She was a live mortal with warm blood flowing through her veins. Would she be alright in the den of vampires? Coraline hoped so as she followed Jack into the manor.

After entering the manor, Coraline followed Jack into what seemed to be a study, but with a twist. Designed as pieces of furniture were four empty coffins, the covers open to expose the red cushioned insides into the night air. Jack rubbed his skull in thought.

"Hmm, I wonder where they could've gone."

As Jack searched for clues about the vampire brothers' location, Coraline decided to look around. She saw what seemed to be a still in the middle of the study, circulating blood. Or at least, she thought it was blood until Jack pointed out to his curious friend that it was tomato juice and that the brothers were not picky between blood and tomato juice for sustenance.

Relieved that her blood was not in danger, Coraline breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at an opened book on an end table near a large bookcase. It seemed to be some sort of a journal as Coraline read the inside, quietly.

"From ancient times, we vampires have been guardians of this land. Sworn to aid the Sovereign of Screams, we will always stand by his side."

Coraline was about to turn a page to read more, but a piece of paper visible underneath the book caught her attention. She picked up the paper and read its contents.

"Oogie Boogie and the Beldam transformed us into four bats. Find us and return us to our coffins."

It was from the splattered ink blots on the paper that Coraline was able to tell that this note was rushed with urgency. Turning on her heel, she spoke to Jack.

"Jack! I've found something."

She handed Jack the paper and he examined it with a grim look in his eye sockets.

"This isn't good. In bat form, the vampires will be too panicked to go back on their own. We will have to catch them and bring them back here."

Coraline's stomach did somersaults at the thought of catching bats to help them return to vampire form, but she knew it had to be done. But then something caught her eye. Out the window, flapping about down on the street, was a lone bat. Pondering, Coraline pointed the bat out to Jack.

"Is that one of them?"

Jack took a look outside the window and spoke.

"By Jove, Coraline, it is!"

Jack then ran out of the manor with Coraline right behind him. Once they were outside, they scrambled to catch the bat. But the bat was too swift for them to catch by hand. So, in a moment of quick thinking on her part, Coraline used her Soul Robber to catch the bat and bring it to her hands.

Jack was pleased.

"Good idea, my friend. But I fear we may have to split up in order to find the bats quickly. I think I saw one a few blocks away from here. I'll search the rest of the area to find the other two."

But as Jack took off, Coraline called out.

"But what do I do once I've caught it?"

"Bring them back to their coffins. They'll tell you which one is theirs."

Coraline wanted to ask if it was alright for her to deal with vampires, Jack was gone.

Displeased, Coraline returned to the manor with the bat in her hands. When she returned to the study, Coraline held out the bat in front of each coffin starting with the couch coffin. But the bat struggled fiercely, telling her that it wasn't his coffin.

Coraline tried the other two, only to get the same results. But when she reached the bed coffin, she got a different reaction. The bat was calm and yet eager to return to its resting place. Carefully, Coraline placed the bat into the coffin and closed the lid. Upon closing, a mist appeared from the interior. Then, after Coraline had backed away a bit, the coffin opened wide again, and a large vampire rose from it, looking quite exhausted.

"…Aaah. At last I'm my old self!"

He then took notice of the mortal in front of him.

"Hmm… There had not been mortals in Halloween Town for centuries. What brings you here, child?"

Containing her nervousness, Coraline answered him and explained her being here; making sure that the vampire knew that she was friends with the Pumpkin King.

"Aahh. I see. Normally, such circumstances would not bring outside help unless it was necessary. And with the Beldam's return to Halloween Town, I understand why the holidays wanted to bring the one who had defeated her in her own web."

This was interesting to Coraline, but she had to get down to business.

"What exactly happened that made you and your brothers turn into bats?"

The vampire answered her.

"My brothers and I opposed Oogie and the Beldam's plan. We told them this isn't the Halloween Jack wanted. So they tricked us and trapped us in our bat form. Sorry, child. While I was a bat I couldn't recognize Jack, nor see that you meant no harm."

Then, the vampire began to waver.

"Ohh… My strength."

Coraline was ready to help the vampire from collapsing and spoke.

"You should probably rest. Jack and I will finish finding your brothers."

The vampire thanked Coraline and returned to his coffin to rest. But not before telling Coraline that the vampires were charged with keeping the key to the Mayor's house by breaking it into four pieces and keeping it to themselves.

With that information, Coraline left the manor and headed toward the direction of her next bat. Of course, it wasn't a picnic considering she was attacked by skeleton monsters left and right, keeping her from catching the bat until her own strength nearly wore down.

Once she caught the bat, she ran back to the manor. The bat this time had the coffin next to the bed coffin, and Coraline did the same thing she did before and place the bat into the coffin. And, like before, a vampire came out. This one was thinner than the first one, but Coraline knew to be careful. The vampire spoke to her.

"Thank you, child. I shall rest and await the rest of my brothers' return."

When the vampire returned to his coffin, all Coraline could do was to wait until Jack came back with his collection of bats. Deciding to do a bit of investigating, Coraline took out the stone from her pocket and began to explore the manor for any sign of an eye. She searched hall after hall, room after room, until she reached the tallest tower of the manor.

Carefully placed underneath a floorboard was a glowing round object that was no doubt an eye. But how could Coraline get it? Finding no other way to get it, Coraline took a sword that was collecting dust nearby and used it like a crowbar to pry off the board. She wished she had a flashlight so she could see what she was grabbing, but the stone would have to do.

Wearing it like a monocle, Coraline continued to look through the stone until she felt a round object in her hand. After pulling it out, Coraline removed the sword and fixed the floorboard, careful not to wake the two vampires downstairs.

After she was done, Coraline looked at the eye that she picked up. It was a pendant with a red teardrop jewel on it. Coraline wondered if this was supposed to look like a drop of blood when the owner of the eye made herself known. From the look of her clothing, she was a 16th century scullery maid no older than twelve. She was dressed in rags and, like the others before her, her eyes were replaced by buttons.

"You…you've found me? Thank you… There are still two eyes to find. But listen to the vampire brothers' information. They will tell you the other half of Oogie's plan."

The scullery maid then went back into the eye, just as Coraline was placing it into her messenger bag. When she returned to the study, Coraline spotted Jack, who had two bats in his hand.

"You've found them?"

"Yes. What about you?"

Coraline gave her report and helped Jack return the remaining vampire brothers to their coffins.

Soon after the last brother had returned to his coffin, all of the vampires rose from their coffins at the presence of Jack and Coraline, handing them peculiar puzzle pieces. The first vampire brother spoke.

"Now the way to the Mayor's house has been open to you and your friend, Jack. We have to tell you about Oogie's plan. He and the Beldam used their henchmen to abduct the other Holiday Leaders."

The second vampire that Coraline freed then spoke.

"They dragged the leaders here, then took away the Holiday Doors so the leaders couldn't return to their own worlds. Lock, Shock, and Barrel then hid the doors in each area of the town so they wouldn't be discovered."

Jack then spoke.

"So the leaders of Valentine's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and the other holidays are being held prisoner somewhere in this town?"

The third vampire brother then spoke.

"Precisely. Oogie's plan is to take over the holidays and become the Seven Holidays King."

Jack and Coraline were taken aback.

"The Seven Holidays King? This is intolerable!"

The third brother continued to explain.

"And that is not the entire plan. After she resurrected Oogie, the Beldam took part in creating the monsters that plague the town and to control them in each area, she hid eyes of children at each area of town. She seeks revenge on the town for exiling her to her realm, but her second goal is to eradicate a child that had escaped her and exiled her from the mortal realm. Of all the goals she had set, revenge against this child rivaled her desire take vengeance on Halloween Town."

Coraline gulped. She knew that he was talking about her. Jack then approached the last vampire, speaking.

"That Beldam is a monster!"

The last vampire then spoke.

"First have to find the holiday doors. Otherwise, you won't be able to return the leaders even if you did find them. Take back those doors, and find out where the leaders are being held. Also, you must find the eyes of those poor children. Without them, Oogie's monsters will no longer be alive and under the Beldam's control."

With that said, the vampires returned to their coffins to finish their rest, leaving Jack and Coraline to venture to the Mayor's house.


	9. Mischif Managed

**Chapter 8**

**Mischief Managed**

_Hey, I'm back! Sorry for the long wait, but I ran out of Mojo for this fic for a while. Not much except that it's another song chapter. There will be two more songs in this fic, one minor and one major. But can you guys help me with something concerning that? Should I add the song Jack and Oogie sing while Coraline gets the sixth eye?_

_I do not own Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, nor Coraline. The title was inspired by Harry Potter, whom I don't own._

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><p>With the keys to the Mayor's house in their possession, Coraline and Jack left the Vampire Brothers' manor and the Pumpkin King lead the teen through the remainder of Hemlock Homestead, now seemingly abandoned by Oogie's monsters. Coraline showed the pendent eye to Jack, explaining how she found it, before she placed it in her bag with the other eyes.<p>

As they reached the gate that lead to the Mayor's House, Jack asked, "And did the child say how many eyes are left?"

"Two." Coraline replied.

After learning that the eyes were being used to control the rogue monsters in each area of Halloween Town, Jack gave began to ponder about the location of the remaining eyes. He could tell that the area the Mayor lived could probably house one eye. But what of the other? There was no other place in Halloween Town that the last eye could possibly be. The Pumpkin King pulled himself out of his thoughts as he saw that they had made it to the gates that lead to the Mayor's house. Unlocking the gate with a different key, Jack lead Coraline into the vicinity.

Upon seeing the towering house, Coraline now knew where the broadcasts she had been hearing all day were coming from. At the top of the towering house was a large megaphone that was pointed to the rest of the town. No doubt meant for important announcements and urgent callings before Oogie took over. Jack's theory about an eye in the area was proven true as the pair were once again set upon by skeletal monsters of the larger variety.

Once the creatures were defeated, Coraline followed Jack to the entrance of the Mayor's house and saw an odd looking pattern on the ground in front of the threshold. It looked like a…

"A face?" Coraline asked herself as Jack began to take out the four pieces.

One spiral eye, one dark eye, a nose, and some teeth Coraline figured as Jack placed the pieces in their appropriate places. And as Jack placed the last piece onto the mosaic, the pair heard a loud 'click', indicating that the manor was now accessible to them, and approached the door. But just as Jack was about to reach for the door, a voice called from the dark.

"Jack! Up here! Please heeelp!"

Running away from the door, Jack and Coraline halted on the mosaic and began to look around for the source of the cries and it continued to call for help. Soon, Coraline was looking up and saw something.

"Jack! Up there!"

Jack looked up to where Coraline was pointing and soon saw what she was seeing.

"What?"

On one of the two spikes at the manor's tower was a cage, and inside was the strangest-looking man Coraline had seen yet. His body was cone-shaped and he had a really tall hat on. He had an orange ribbon on his lapel and a spider tie. His face was white and frowny with pointed teeth.

"Heeelp!"

Turning to the manor entrance, Jack spoke.

"There's only one way up there. Follow me!" Coraline didn't say anything as they entered the strange manor.

The interior was just as warped as the exterior, Coraline thought to herself. The floor was decked out in a black and white checker pattern with rug-covered ramps spiraled up to various point of the manor. Many macabre portraits hung from the walls and the only light came from a creepy-looking chandelier attached to the highest beam. Sitting in the center of the checkered floor was a hearse with red velvet seats and a black-and-white megaphone attached to the roof of the vehicle.

How it got into the manor, Coraline would never know.

The mortal continued to follow the Pumpkin King up the spiral ramps and onto the roofs of the multi-roofed house. It wasn't a surprise that along the way, skeletons and other monsters attacked them to guard their sole prisoner. But as they traveled the rooftops, Coraline kept an eye out for either of the remaining two eyes. So far, nothing.

_"Where could they be?"_

After three flights of spiral ramps, Jack and Coraline made it to the story were the mayor was being held captive. But as they approached the caged politician, Coraline spotted something from the corner of her eye. At the top of the last roof, she could see Lock, Shock, and Barrel's bathtub walking into what she figured was where the mayor could look over Halloween Town. As Jack approached the Mayor, Coraline spoke.

"I think I see something at the top of the house. I'm going on ahead to check it out."

Jack nodded before he went to retrieve the mayor.

"Just be careful, Coraline."

As Coraline left, Jack called out to the mayor.

"Mayor! Are you ok?"

The Mayor turned in his cage and breathed a sigh of relief as Jack used his Soul Robber to bring the cage to safer ground.

"Jack! Oh, you don't know how happy I am to see your skull! I thought I'd be stuck her forever!"

As Jack used his Soul Robber to open the cage door, the Mayor turned his head to his 'happy' side as Jack relayed the situation to the Mayor before asking his question.

"Do you know where the Holiday Door is hidden in this Residential Area?"

The Mayor shook his head as he spoke.

"I saw some of Oogie's goons up on my roof. I wouldn't be surprised if they had it with them."

Jack realized that Coraline might be heading for a trap.

_"Oh no! Coraline!" _

Turning his attention to the Mayor, Jack spoke again.

"You'd better climb down form here and evacuate to someplace safe."

The Mayor nodded and spoke before he headed down.

"Thank you, Jack. Good luck to you and your friend!"

* * *

><p>As Jack spoke to the Mayor, Coraline was entering the circular rooftop when the gate behind her shut suddenly.<p>

"That's never a good sign." She muttered.

She then turned to find the trio of tricksters in their tub, brandishing their own version of weapons: a plunger, a broom, and a slingshot. Folding her arms, Coraline spoke with blandness in her voice.

"Look what we have here. The three little pranksters. You're still working for Oogie and the Other Mother, aren't you?"

Lock removed his mask.

"We're not working. We're playing."

"And winning." Shock spoke as she removed her mask.

"Another round, Coraline?" Barrel asked before all three of them spoke at the same time.

"AS IF YOU HAD A CHOICE!"

It was then that Coraline noticed something. Around Shock's neck was a black key that almost reminded her of a tack, were it not for the four strings that went through four holes on the top.

_"The key to the Other Mother's world! If I can grab that key, I can use it to lock her up again."_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Song Mode #2<strong>_

_**Hail to Mr. Oogie (Coraline version)**_

**Lock, Shock, and Barrel: **_La, la-la, la-la-la! La, la, la-la-la~ La, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la~! Hail to Mr. Oogie! Coraline will never win! When you find our booby traps, they will do you in!_

As the pranksters rode around in their tub, Coraline kept an eye on them, her Soul Robber at the ready. Suddenly, they hopped out one by one while trying to strike Coraline. Shock came at her first with the broom.

**Shock:**_ First we brought the Master back, to take this town away from Jack. We'd knew he'd fight to set things right, so we got bad guys to attack!_

Dodging the girl, Coraline used her Soul Robber to try and grab Shock, only to miss.

**Coraline: **_Stop! We've had enough of you! Your punishment is overdue! You've instigated chaos here and turned this town onto its ear!_

**L, S, and B:** _Hail to Mr. Oogie! Put them to the test. Keep them guessing all the time, never let them rest!_

Barrel then fired his slingshot at Coraline, making her 'dance'.

**Barrel: **_Then Mr. Oogie Boogie Man._

Then Shock tried to swipe at the teen's feet.

**Shock: **_With the Beldam, can take the whole town over then!_

Then Lock tried to poke her with his toy plunger.

**Lock:**_ They'll be so pleased, I do declare!_

They then tried to do a three-way attack, only for Coraline to jump out of the way in time as they collided with each other.

**L, S, and B: **_The whole world should beware! WHEE!_

Lock charged again, this time, he tried to hook Coraline's bag.

**Lock:**_ Now that Oogie is the King, we'll get away with everything. You cannot scold us for our pranks. The new King Oogie and the Beldam, let's give thanks!_

Evading the devil kid, Coraline held her bag tightly. The last thing she wanted was to lose the eyes she collected so far.

**Coraline: **_Don't be foolish. Think now! All this danger isn't fun and games! When this town is back to normal, do you really want the blame?_

The trio returned to their tub as Barrel continued to fire his slingshot at the teen. He managed to hit her at some parts of her body and judging from the pain she was experiencing, Coraline figured those were going to become bruises.

**L, S, and B:**_ Hail to Mr. Oogie! This is so much fun. We make mischief day and night. Our work is never done!_

The tub then charged at the teen and again, Coraline dodged the attack. She had to think of something. But what?

**Coraline: **_If I told you once, Jack's told you twice to straighten out your act! You'll never get away with this and that~ you brats is fact~!_

Having enough of being hit, Coraline used her Soul Robber to grapple Barrel's slingshot and pried it from his pale hand before throwing it aside.

**Coraline**_: We've had enough of this disgrace! So take us to the hidden place. Where our friends sit locked in a cage. Or you will face our rage!_

**L, S, and B: **_WHEE!_

With Barrel's weapon taken, Coraline at last got an idea. If she could get their weapons away, the Troublemaking Trio will be defenseless. Her first order of business was the tub.

**Lock, Shock, and Barrel: **_La, la-la, la-la-la! La, la, la-la-la~ La, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la~! Hail to Mr. Oogie! Coraline will never win! When you find our booby traps, they will do you in!_

**Shock: **_First we brought the Master back to take this town away from Jack! We knew he'd fight to set things right, so we got bad guys who attack! _

Again, Shock tried to attack Coraline, but Coraline was quick and used her Soul Robber to take Shock's broom and tossed it aside. Seeing that she was unarmed, Shock returned to the tub while Lock took over.

**Lock:**_ Ghosts and skeletons galore! Brainwashed fighters wanting more! They're rising up from every tomb to torment Coraline and seal Jack's doom! _

Lock figured what Coraline was trying to do and began to move in a zigzag pattern so as to avoid Coraline's goopy weapon. The blue-haired girl did the same as she not only struggled to avoid getting poked, but to prevent the eyes from being taken.

**L, S, and B:** _Hail to Mr. Oogie! Put them to the test. Keep them guessing all the time, never let them rest!_

With Coraline distracted in trying to avoid his plunger, Lock spotted his playmates' weapons and swiped each one and threw it back to their owner, frustrating Coraline.

**Barrel: **_Then Mr. Oogie Boogie Man._

As Barrel caught his bone slingshot, Shock caught her broom.

**Shock: **_With the beldam, can take the whole town over then!_

Lock rejoined his cohorts and was getting ready to strike again.

**Lock:**_ They'll be so pleased, I do declare!_

Coraline jumped out of the way, but her shirt side got caught by the plunger and the little devil boy caused a small tear in her shirt.

**L, S, and B: **_The whole world should beware! WHEE!_

Coraline had to hurry. She wasn't sure if Jack was on his way, but he'd better be there soon.

**Lock:**_ Now that Oogie is the King, we'll get away with everything. You cannot scold us for our pranks. The new King Oogie and the Beldam, let's give thanks!_

As Coraline dodged, she knew that the pranksters wouldn't fall for her trap again. She had to figure out a new line of attack.

**Barrel: **_A trick a day, oh, why stop there? We'll do whatever! We won't care! And everyone will come to know we run the show! Hey, life's unfair! _

Trick? That's it! At Barrel's mention of tricks, Coraline remembered the cards she got from Sally and the Witch Sisters! Drawing out her Halloween card, Coraline used it's magic and changed into her Halloween form.

**L, S, and B: **_Hail to Mr. Oogie! This is so much fun! We make mischief day and night. Our work is never done! _

Though startled at Coraline's sudden transformation, the trio persisted. Even though they were given permission to rough her up, their orders were to bring Coraline to the Other Mother alive! They had to be careful; otherwise they'll be her next meal.

**Shock:**_ Because Mister Oogie Boogie is the meanest guy around! _

Shock swept at Coraline, the older girl dodging her blunt attacks, but managed to obtain some small scratches from the wicker broom.

**Lock:**_ If I were on his Oogie list, I'd get out of town!_

Coraline was smart and jumped back, and on instinct, removed her witch's hat and pulled something out. It was a pumpkin. A pumpkin with a sparking stem. This was an attack she clearly never even known about before.

**Barrel: **_He'll be so pleased by our success! _

Recovering his marbles (his ammo, not his sanity, lol), Barrel readied his slingshot.

**Shock:**_ That he'll reward us too, I bet! _

It didn't take long for Coraline to realize that this pumpkin was a bomb of sorts and threw it at the trio. Seeing the fuse, the three ran off in separate directions, save for the tub, which the bomb fell into and exploded, destroying the trio's ride.

**L, S, and B: **_I wonder what it's going to be! We cannot wait to see! Wheee! _

While all four children lost their balance, Coraline remained on her feet. "Ok. Defiantly leave that attack for heavy-hitters." She muttered to herself.

**Lock, Shock, and Barrel: **_La, la-la, la-la-la! La, la, la-la-la~ La, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la~! Hail to Mr. Oogie! Coraline will never win! When you find our booby traps, they will do you in!_

**Shock:**_ First we brought the Master back, to take this town away from Jack. We'd knew he'd fight to set things right, so we got bad guys to attack!_

Having enough of Shock's broom, Coraline casted a fireball, only to miss.

**Coraline:**_ Stop! We've had enough of you! Your punishment is overdue! You've instigated chaos here and turned this town onto its ear! _

Realizing their opponent had gotten stronger somehow, the pranksters started to move faster.

**L, S, and B: **_Hail to Mister Oogie! Put them to the test! Keep him guessing all the time. Never let him rest! _

Coraline thought quickly that there was only one way for this fight to finally end: A ring of fire.

**Barrel: **_Then Mister Oogie Boogie Man _

As the trio began to close in on her, Coraline crossed her arms in front of her chest.

**Shock: **_Can take the whole town over then! _

As she kept her arms crossed, Coraline felt the fire she needed flow throughout her body.

**Lock:**_ He'll be so pleased, I do declare! _

Coraline kept jumping from the attacks, trying to keep her concentration on her spell.

**L, S, and B: **_The whole world should beware! Wheee! _

Seeing that she was getting ready for an attack, Lock charged.

**Lock:**_ Now that Oogie is the king, we get away with everything! You cannot scold us for our pranks! The new King Oogie and the Beldam, let's give thanks! _

Coraline took a big step to the side, causing Lock to miss her again and trip onto the ground.

**Coraline:**

_Don't be foolish! Think now. All this danger isn't fun and games! When this town is back to normal, do you really want the blame? _

Coraline felt her fire getting hotter, but she needed it to be powerful enough to do the job.

**L, S, and B: **_Hail to Mister Oogie! This is so much fun! We make mischief day and night. Our work is never done! _

Eyeing the key once again, Coraline started to plan.

**Coraline: **_I've told you once, Jack's told you twice to straighten out your act! You'll never get away with this and that, you brats, is fact! _

The children with the close-ranged weapons kept charging while Barrel kept shooting marbles at the teen. In a swift moment, Coraline managed to get to the same level as the key and, using her teeth, pulled the key and broke the string. She now had the key to the Other Mother's other door! Now was the time to finish the battle.

**Coraline: **_Trusting them's a big mistake! One that you don't want to make! They might reward you, this is true! By cooking you into a stew! _

Coraline stretched out her arms above her head and as she did, atomic rings of fire burst from her body and sent the children back.

**L, S, and B:**_ Wheee! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha..._

_**~Fin~**_

* * *

><p>Lock, Shock, and Barrel laid down on the ground near the edge of the roof. Their tub was destroyed and their weapons were on fire, literally. Soot speckled their bodies as they cough the smoke out of their lungs. Coraline, meanwhile, looked up and saw something shiny float down to her. It was another Holiday Door! This one was clearly Independence Day, as it looked like a firecracker with stars on the candle.<p>

Quickly placing the key in her satchel with the door, which shrunk to fit into her bag, Coraline faced the trio and placed her fists on her hips, her Halloween form dying for the moment.

"Now's the time to really teach you three a lesson."

Frightened of their stronger peer, Lock, Shock, and Barrel crawled backwards as Coraline pointed to each of the three.

"Who's first?"

Suddenly, looks of fear shifted into smirks as the trio called out to Coraline.

"CORALINE! TRICK OR TREAT!"

Getting back on their feet, Lock and Shock were able to jump onto a spider-shaped button while Barrel tripped. The switched opened a trap door and, seeing the hole before she could escape; Coraline took the door out and threw it to the get where Jack had finally arrived, unknowingly throwing her stone as well. A scream was heard as the trio of pranksters laughed.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha! LOOKS LIKE SHE REALLY FELL FOR THAT ONE!"

Unlocking the gate, Jack retrieved the Independence day door and the stone and looked to the three in anger.

"Where's Coraline?"

The trio laughed at the Pumpkin King.

"Like we're gonna tell you!" Lock laughed.

"Yeah! Worry about yourself instead!" Shock spoke.

"Besides, even if you do win, you'll never find her in the catacombs! And even if you find a way down there, Mr. Oogie and the Beldam may have found her by the time you get down there!" Barrel bragged.

His words earned glares from his cohorts.

"SHUT UP!"

Jack folded his arms in frustration and concern. If he was going to find Coraline before Oogie and the Beldam did, he'd better hurry and deal with this troublesome trio.

* * *

><p><em>With Coraline…<em>

From the roof of the Mayor's house, Coraline fell for what seemed to be a mile when she saw a stalactite over a ledge and used her Soul Robber to catch it. As the goop pulled her up, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was too close. Whew. What a day this has been."

She then jumped onto the ledge and saw light around the corner in the cave in front of her.

"Hmm? What's this place?"

As she turned the corner, Coraline was confronted by a hazardous zone with not only sharp rocks and traps, but molten lava as well. Looking back to where she fell from, Coraline gulped.

"Looks like there's no way but forward."

* * *

><p><em>Happy Back-to-School!<em>


	10. Hell's Casino

**Chapter 9**

**Hell's Casino**

_Sorry for the long wait, but I managed to get a chapter up just before Halloween. I've been busy with college that I hardly had time and energy to work on my fics. _

_I tried to get a Cajun/Jamaican accent for the sixth eye, but this is the best I could do. I'm from the northern Midwest, so I'm unfamiliar with it the accents. I am not racist or anything. I'm trying to add spice to this story. So sorry if I offended anyone._

_I do not own Coraline or The Nightmare Before Christmas._

* * *

><p>Coraline couldn't believe something like this was under Halloween Town. A great cavern filled with molten lava and, from the look of things, various traps, possibly both visible and hidden.<p>

"What is this place?" Coraline asked herself as she walked forward on the stone ledge she was one to get a better look of the place.

Looking back at the dark cavern that she fell through from the Mayor's roof, the teen muttered to herself as she looked onward.

"Looks like there's nowhere to go but straight ahead."

She then looked at the traps, all of them with a very similar theme. All of them were things that one would find in a casino: dice walls, cards with spinning swords in their hands, and colorful pendulum-saws that had skeletons on them.

"This must be Oogie's work. But…what about the Other Mother?"

She then looked down from the ledge and gulped as she saw the lava.

"I better tread carefully if I want to keep myself from getting crispy."

But before she could take a step forward, some thoughts came to her mind. To keep herself from getting frightened, she spoke aloud.

"I better find a way to let Jack know that I've gone ahead. Question is…how?"

She felt around in her bag and felt something sharp. Pulling it out, she saw that it was a piece of her sickle that she stored, the only piece left of her old blade. Looking around, Coraline found a spot where she could write a message to Jack.

On a flat slab of stone, Coraline read aloud as she carved her message: an arrow pointing in the direction she was going. After carving the message, Coraline placed the blade piece in her shawl that she had brought and covered it so that the metal didn't pierce her bag and cause her to lose the eyes she collected the entire day. For an added boost of courage, Coraline took out her old hat and placed it on her head, just like she did when she was forced to return to the Other World to save her real parents.

The ledge ended with a stone hand lying flat on the lava. Looking for a way forward, Coraline found iron hook and used her Soul Robber to launch herself up onto the ledge above. But as she landed, a familiar wail caught her attention.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! You're gonna be torn to pieces, kid! Do you really think you'll make it out of here alive? It's so entertaining watching you run from my little traps down there. Oh! And I've got even scarier traps in store for Jack later! Ba ha-ha-ha-ha!"

Coraline had to smirk. Oogie must've forgotten that the Other Mother wants her alive. She was certain that if she got even a scratch from Oogie, the Other Mother would tear him from the seams, undoing her work. She even wondered who was really pulling the strings if the Other Mother had that kind of power.

Shaking her head back into reality, Coraline looked to the path ahead. With the gaps between the stone pillars, she would have to use her brains and carefully make her way through this dangerous game of hopscotch to get to the other side. Among the strange contraptions in this place, there were statues that resembled extremely thin skeletons holding platters in each hand while the arms moved apart and together, granting a temporary stepping stone over the lava.

Coraline waited until the statue's right hand platter got close enough that she was able to hop on the tray. Surprisingly, the tray was sturdy, much to Coraline's relief. She then waiting while the statue moved again and she was able to hop across before the tray moved again. The statue 'delivered' her to a curved ramp on the other side and another statue, beckoning her to the opposite direction.

Coraline dared herself to look downward from the edge of the ramp and saw that there were some stone platforms low enough to the lava, but not low enough that she'd roast alive. Unfortunately for her, Coraline had to cross if she was going to get out of the cavern. Once again, she let the boney stone waiter pass her across to the next ledge and she climbed down to the ledge.

The heat made her feel like she was in an oven, like what almost happened with Hansel and Gretel except that she had more legroom and had a better chance of getting out than the witch. Thankfully, she found a coiled pipe she could use her Soul Robber on before she could have a chance to melt. After reaching the ledge above her, Coraline found herself with another waiter, this one having only one arm and a coiled pipe next to it.

Seeing that the tray couldn't reach her, Coraline used her Soul Robber again on the pipe to reach the tray as it came to her. The tray lowered her to the ledge below the next stone pillar. The stone looked like a fallen stone skeleton due to the appearance of the skull in the orange melted metal. Quickly, Coraline latched on another pipe and pulled herself up onto the new ledge.

The ledge opened the door for more dangerous traps for Coraline. Three pendulum saws cut across the stone arch that lead to the wall and at the gap between her arch and the next ledge was a stone mosaic in the design of a card. The King of Spades. At first, Coraline thought it was a simple mosaic, until the card's two swords came to life and spun for twenty seconds before returning to their original position. The action reminded Coraline of a blender and with the pendulum saws, it was like a kitchen gone horribly wrong: Casino style.

Coraline had seen movies and knew how to deal with the pendulum saws. She waited until the first saw passed and dashed across, only to stop and wait for the second saw to pass before she could repeat the step two more times. Once she was safely across, Coraline looked for a way to get to the next gap without getting 'cut by the deck'. Seeing that the only way to cross is with the pipe lodge over the card, Coraline readied her Soul Robber until the swords returned to the card, then unleashed the gel-like weapon on the pipe and quickly swung across before the swords could cut her or her new weapon.

Once she was on the ledge, Coraline saw a hovering platform heading toward her much like the trays of the skeleton statues. Carefully, she stepped on the platform and let it carry her across the last platform, where three mosaic cards blocked her path to the final door. Like before, she waited until the time was right and swung across with the aid of her Soul Robber and another pipe. Once she was across, she had to be careful as there were also three horse-shaped tombstones that breathe fire. She didn't want to try and find out if her Halloween form was fire-proof or not, so she waited until the fire-breathing stones halted before she dashed across the hazard and found herself in front of an archway to a darkened room. Looking back the way she came, Coraline could see that she came a long way and carved another arrow on the floor, giving Jack the direction she was heading.

As soon as she was done, she entered the next room.

* * *

><p><em>Meanwhile, with Jack…<em>

Back at the beginning of the chamber, Jack was unknowingly following Coraline's steps as he entered the magma-filled chamber. After Coraline's disappearance, Jack was forced to fight against Lock, Shock, and Barrel to get them to reveal where Coraline was. It worked…so to say. Like Coraline, Jack fell through the seemingly bottomless pit until he saw the ledge Coraline used and saved himself using his Soul Robber.

"What is this place? I have never seen this before."

He then saw an arrow on a nearby stone as he looked down the cavern and saw the dangers his human friend had just gone through.

"Coraline must have gone down this way. I better hurry and get moving if I want to catch up to her."

As he took his first steps in the cavern, Jack placed a boney hand on one of his coat pockets. He found Coraline's stone she used to identify the children's eyes and picked it up during his fight with the Terrible Trio and placed it in his pocket for safekeeping. Remembering that it was a stone like this that helped Coraline in the past, Jack was going to make certain that Coraline got the stone back.

* * *

><p><em>Back with Coraline…<em>

By the time Jack got moving; Coraline was inside the new room and was surprised by its appearance. Although the darkness was a comfort to Coraline's eyes, the teenager did notice that she wasn't alone in this place. The room was circular with seven cages at each part of the walls in the same order that Coraline saw the Holiday Doors in. The only difference is that the symbols of the holidays were in a macabre appearance. Appropriate for Halloween, not for the situation she was in. Inside five of the cages were rustling trick-or-treat bags the size of garbage bags, which they must be, Coraline guessed. The only ones empty were the Halloween cage and the Christmas cage.

It was then that Coraline figured out what was in the filled cages. The Holiday Leaders. Quickly, she dashed for the first door on her right: the Valentines cage. Coraline struggled with the cage door, but it was locked and there was no other way to open them.

_"Looks like those three locked them in here. And I'm guessing that the pumpkin cage is for Jack. So the only other free leader is…"_

Coraline whispered in amazement and fear as she spoke the leader's name.

"Santa Claus."

If Oogie was capturing the Holiday Leaders to make himself the Seven Holidays King, why hadn't he captured Santa yet? Coraline's instincts told her that Oogie must have something special planned for Santa just like he's doing with Jack. And what he meant by 'special' meant nothing good at all for the teen and her newfound friends.

But what of the Other Mother? Where's her handiwork?

"Maybe this is Oogie's sole territory, just like the Other World is to the Other Mother." Coraline muttered.

But even so, this chamber was the safest place for her to wait until Jack arrives. She just only wished that she had like a skeleton key or something to help the Holiday Leaders out of their cages.

Speaking of keys, Coraline reached into her satchel and pulled out the key she took from Shock. It was different compared to the key she used the first time she entered the Other Mother's world, but maybe it had a different purpose. But what? The only thing Coraline knew that once this whole night was over, she would send the key to be with its mate: at the bottom of the Old Well.

But just as Coraline was about to relax, a scuffling sound reached her ears. She turned and saw something rise from the center of the floor: a giant spider much like the one that kept Sally prisoner, only its spiral was an electric blue. Knowing the spider's weakness from before, Coraline dashed behind the spider and attacked its spinnerets with her blue Soul Robber. The sudden jolt of pain caused the spider to dig underground before coming back up in dozens of smaller spiders. Coraline wasted no time in using her Halloween form to cast pumpkin bombs at the spiders, killing many of the small arachnids.

But she was unable to kill all of the spiders in time as the remaining spiders burrowed underground and emerged at the larger spider again. But this time, he was smaller, about the size of a cow. Again, Coraline struck the spinnerets and firebombed when the smaller spiders came up, allowing the teen to finish the spider off.

After the spider was squashed, another cage lowered itself from the ceiling, this one designed to hold a single person and leave them hanging for days. But this cage also looked familiar to Coraline until she looked up, following the chain. There was a hole in the ceiling, which was letting in a decent amount of moonlight. This was the cage from the square!

"Well. Now we have a way to get back up." Coraline spoke.

But she went silent as she heard something crash and bang from the Christmas cage. Carefully approaching the cage, Coraline touched the door and saw that it was unlocked and that there was no back to the cage.

"What's down there?" She whispered to herself.

She was tempted to go, but she decided not to.

"I better wait for Jack."

Coraline walked back to the entrance and waited for Jack. She was able to see him once he had reached the buzz-saws and the Cards of Death. She waved her arm after Jack made it across. She kept silent as she waved for fear of whatever was down at the end of the other corridor. As soon as Jack made it to where Coraline was, he spoke.

"Are you alright, Coraline?"

Coraline nodded.

"Yes. But I think I've found most of the Holiday Leaders."

Jack, like Coraline did before him, looked into each cage, confirming Coraline's response as she told him about the chamber, including they mystery corridor behind the Christmas cage.

"Do you think that Oogie might be down there?" Coraline asked.

"I'm not sure. But we will have to be careful."

He then pulled out the stone from his jacket pocket and handed it to Coraline.

"I've found this on the mayor's rooftop after you fell through the trap. I am certain you need this."

Grateful, Coraline took the stone and put it in her pocket.

"Thanks, Jack."

Once the stone was returned to its rightful owner, the Pumpkin King and the adolescent opened the Christmas cage door and headed down the corridor.

* * *

><p>After going through another lava-filled corridor, Jack and Coraline entered a room darker than the cage room. There was a single spotlight at the center of the chamber, where standing on a spiked pedestal was a bagman in a green-tinted light.<p>

Oogie Boogie…in person.

"Oogie! Return the Holiday Leaders to their worlds!" Jack demanded.

Oogie, however, spoke with a smug look on his burlap face.

"I can assure you, the leader of every holiday is right where he should be – and you're looking at him!"

"Where are you holding Sandy? And where is the Beldam?" Jack demanded once again, getting Santa's name wrong…again.

But Oogie didn't give him the answer he was seeking.

"Jaaack. Weren't you listening? I said I had debt to repay old Sandy Claws – a debt I'm going to repay in person! The old hag and I don't want you and the kid causing any trouble while I'm on my little visit and she back at her web, so we've hidden the Christmas door behind something quite nasty. So in the meantime, let's say we have some fun. The Oogie Casino is now opened!"

As soon as Oogie finished his speech, neon lights suddenly lit the entire room, exposing a macabre roulette table big enough to fit a crowd of people in. And no doubt filled with traps too. Taking out the stone, Coraline nodded to Jack, who got the message. He would handle Oogie while she looked for the remaining eyes. Jack jumped down into the giant wheel and Oogie spoke again.

"What are we gambling for you ask? Nothing all that valuable – JUST YOUR LIFE AND THE KID! Cue the music!"

As soon as some music began, cards rose up around the edge of the wheel as it began to turn. Jack nearly stumbled as the wheel jolted to life and evaded the cards' blades at the same time, the whole situation quite familiar. Coraline, in the meantime, held up her free arm with the stone at her eye while her other arm steadied the Soul Robber on her hand.

She looked around while Jack dodged traps and struck at Oogie with his Soul Robber, finding the most effective thing being exploding dice. Coraline kept on her toes as well. Often, Oogie would jump onto the edge of the roulette wheel when the middle sank to a lower level, careful so he would jump where she was and capture her easily.

Coraline looked quickly, hoping to see a ball of light. She found one within the darkness.

"There it is!" She spoke.

But it was too soon. As soon as she made that announcement, more neon lights turned on, revealing a long table at the end of what Coraline thought was green carpet, until cards rose up from the green and poker chips rose and sunk. Tearing off a piece of her shirt, Coraline tossed the fabric into the ooze and saw it burn.

The green fluid was acid.

Behind her at the roulette wheel, Oogie laughed.

"Oh, by the way. If you want this casino's eye, you're gonna have to play a little blackjack, kid. Blackjack with acid that is!"

Jack narrowed his eye sockets as he struck Oogie while he was distracted.

"That is abysmal even for you!"

Oogie just laughed.

"You didn't think I'd leave the kid out of all the fun, did you Jack? Sure, the hag wants her alive, but she didn't say anything about playing with her for a bit."

Coraline, in the meantime, had to figure out a way across the acid to get to the eye. By far, the only chance she had was the poker chips. She waited until the closest chip appeared and hopped on, waited until the second chip appeared and jumped off quickly before the first chip sank. Unfortunately, cards rose up and tried to mince her, Coraline being saved by the third chip, which was farther out than the previous chips were.

"This is going to be harder than it looks." Coraline groaned.

She looked on ahead and saw that the next chip had a firecracker on it. Jumping on it, Coraline quickly looked back at the other chips and saw that they had a heart, a four-leaf clover, and an Easter egg on them, painted in a macabre fashion. They were images of the holidays in order by month. Which meant the next one was a pumpkin, followed by a turkey, and a Christmas tree for the last chip. Each chip had a deadlier trap than the last. The Independence Day chip had fireworks launched at her, nearly forcing Coraline off the chip and into the acid as she tried to dodge them.

After hopping onto the pumpkin chip, pumpkin bombs were tossed at her, some of them exploding in midair. It was the perfect moment to try out her Christmas form, which she called mentally the **'Christmas Angel'** form. Upon turning into her Christmas form, Coraline turned to an airborne pumpkin and let out a breath of freezing air, freezing the pumpkin while blowing it into the acid.

When she stepped onto the Thanksgiving chip, Coraline found herself being attacked by crows and ravens viciously. As she froze them, Coraline thought to herself.

_"Looks like Oogie couldn't find any flying turkeys."_

The thought would've made her laugh had it not been for the fact that her life is still in danger. Once the Christmas chip came up, she hopped on and was met with the coldest mini blizzard she had ever experienced. Her Christmas form, unfortunately, didn't keep her warm from the cold, leaving her to use her Halloween form and cause a firewall to appear around her.

With the table in her sight, Coraline quickly jumped before the spell wore off and landed onto the table. The table was a roulette table and after using the stone, Coraline found the eye was none other than the roulette ball, bouncing and rolling around the wheel. With quick movement, Coraline caught the ball and looked to the path behind her. Amazingly, upon the removal of its power source, the Blackjack table stopped moving, all the chips rising up permanently. With the eye in hand, Coraline dashed across the chips just in time as Oogie collapsed after Jack beat him.

"Huff….huff… You've got some nerve escaping my perfect traps. Still, the real losers are you and the kid, Jack. For he who has the last laugh wins!"

Suddenly, Oogie sank down before rising again, this time as the shadow the duo fought inside the town hall earlier that day.

"What's this?" Jack exclaimed while Coraline was wide-eyed.

The Oogie they fought was a fake.

"Congratulations, heroes. You defeated my shadow. Neat trick, huh? The real me is in Christmas Town. Bye now!"

Then, Shadow Oogie exploded in a flash of light, leaving nothing but the information and the Easter Door behind. Jack approached it and collected it, but was surprised.

"The Easter Door!? But, where's the Christmas Door!?"

He then looked up at Coraline, who was kneeling and reaching for Jack.

"The center cage can take us back to the plaza. Maybe we can figure something out once we're out of here and into the moonlight."

* * *

><p><em>Back on the Surface…<em>

Coraline ended up taking the cage back up to the square while Jack took and alternate route through some sort of tunnel. When Coraline was back up, she saw Jack rise from the fountain and the denizens of Halloween Town cheered. Oogie was beaten and kicked out of their town. Well…not beaten exactly.

"Her web… I wonder… Did Oogie's shadow admit that the Other Mother is back in her world?" Coraline looked at the eye.

Its owner was an African-American boy with a Cajun accent mixed with Jamaican dressed in 1930's clothing, around his neck was a voodoo talisman. He thanked her like the others did, but told her something else.

"De Beldam. She holds de keys to de last eye. De eye be in Christmas Town, but you cannot reach it without the ornaments needed to get at it: A star, a candle, and a bauble. Her home be in a wood called de Hinterlands. Her second door be in a tree like the Holiday Doors. A Black Button be her symbol. But beware. She be bracque. Crazy. She be expectin' you. Be canaille, sly, and quick. Or she get you and make you one of us."

That wasn't very encouraging, but it was a start. It seemed that before she could get to Christmas Town, Coraline had to do one last thing.

She had to return to the Other World.

* * *

><p><em>Please review.<em>


	11. Into the Spider's Web

**Chapter 10**

**Into the Spider's Web**

_Happy Halloween! _

_Sorry for the super-long delay, but my spark for this fic ran out and I was unable to finish this before Christmas like I originally intended. But I was able get this done before Halloween._

_Wish me luck getting the next chapter done before Christmas this year._

_I do not own Coraline or The Nightmare Before Christmas._

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><p>As Coraline watched the denizens of Halloween Town gather around and praise Jack, though they gave her some thanks as well, the teen knew that their endeavor was far from over. Oogie's shadow announced not too long ago that its creator is in Christmas Town and the Christmas Door was nowhere to be found in Halloween Town. Having searched all over the town, Coraline's stomach turned sour as she made a pretty good guess on where the door was: in the possession of the Other Mother.<p>

Looking at the key in her hand, Coraline knew that there was no other choice but to return to the Other World, find the Christmas door and the items the latest ghost child told her about, and get out with the Other Mother locked inside once again. For even if they defeat Oogie first, it won't be enough with the Beldam still capable of walking freely from her world and into the holiday realms and, to a frightening extent, the mortal world.

But the question is…where was the Other World's door? The teen knew that if anyone would know, it would be some of the oldest residents of Halloween Town. Amongst the praise and cheers of the creatures of the town, Coraline forced herself to approach the Vampire Brothers once more. Clearing her quivering throat, she managed to gain the attention of the elder of the four brothers, whom then acknowledge her warmly…for a vampire.

"Ah, young Coraline. I see that you have an important question to ask us."

Coraline nodded as the other brothers turned towards her in attention.

"Yes, I do. We-as in Jack and I- know that Oogie is in Christmas Town and I have a feeling I know where the last holiday door is. And I was hoping you can tell me the location of where this place was."

"And what place is that, young mortal?" The second eldest brother asked.

Coraline answered grimly.

"The door…to the Beldam's world. I believe that if anyone has the Christmas door, it's her."

The vampires became sympathetic to Coraline's plight, not doubting that the human had a past with the most twisted of all witches. The eldest brother spoke again.

"We do know where the door is. But even if you were to find it, you cannot get in without the key."

Coraline showed the brothers the button key that she took from the Trio and spoke.

"I got this off of Lock, Shock, and Barrel just before I got separated from Jack back on the Mayor's rooftop."

The brothers inspected the key after Coraline handed it to them, all four of them familiar with the little key.

"This is indeed the one our late king imprisoned her with." The youngest vampire brother replied.

"I'd never thought I'd see the wretched thing again, yet here it is." The second youngest brother spoke.

"None of us thought to see it. But with her scuttling around Halloween Town causing such havoc with Oogie, it shouldn't be a surprise that we should see it at least once." The third youngest brother spoke.

"But what happened to its mate?" The eldest brother asked.

Coraline answered that with a proud smirk.

"It's at the bottom of a _very_ deep well."

The vampires showed faces of approval at Coraline's choice of disposal of the second key.

"Wise choice, little one. Once this is all over, we suggest you do the same with this key." The second eldest replied.

"I agree, but I need to use it at least one more time." Coraline answered, grim once again.

Knowing that both their current king and the mortal would have to face her eventually, the Vampire brothers agreed to divulge the location of the door.

"Before the events of last year, we vampire brothers knew of the Holiday Grove, but not of the holidays they contained. But it is in the center of this grove that the door to her web is located. Far from the delightful darkness of Halloween Town, past the graveyard and Spiral Hill, the Hinterlands hold the door. Jack can take you there, but we advise that you come up with a plan of attack. For it is certain that She would not fall for the same trick twice." They spoke in unison.

Coraline agreed. After what happened four years ago, the Other Mother would be wise not to be lured into another game with Coraline. Of course, last time she was fighting for her life, the ghost children, and her parents. Now, it was for the residents of all the Holidays _and_ her life.

"I'll have to think of something else, then. I've already used her love of games against her four years ago. I'll have to find another weakness."

The Vampire Brothers immediately took notice at Coraline's constant use of the word "I" and immediately did not like where this was going.

Coraline Jones was going to challenge the Beldam…alone.

"Child. We do not advise that you should face her on your own. If anything, you should bring Jack with you." One of the brothers advised.

Coraline didn't say anything. While what the vampire brothers said was true, Coraline was the only one she knew who had been to the Other Mother's web and escaped. If anyone had a chance against her, it was Coraline.

If Jack's late father was still around, then maybe she could ask him for advice.

At least she had an adviser hidden somewhere.

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><p>Once Coraline left the presence of the vampire brothers, she turned her attention to the town gate. It was there that she saw Sally, who was motioning for her to come. Making sure no one was watching, she approached the ragdoll.<p>

"Sally?"

"Walk with me." The ragdoll replied.

Curious, Coraline followed Sally out of town and into the graveyard. Once they were amongst the tombstones, Coraline spoke.

"Is everything alright?"

Sally looked up to the golden moon that hung in the sky, a small gust of wind blowing.

"You are going to confront the Beldam, right?"

A moment of silence passed between the two before the teenager spoke.

"I have to. The child in the latest eye told me that she has the Christmas door. If we are going to go to Christmas Town, I have to go."

"And Jack?" Sally asked.

"He's not coming." Coraline answered bluntly. "If anything, he should stay away from her. It's not just me she wants revenge on. If she's like I think she is, she wants revenge on Halloween Town's former king and she will get it through Jack. Which is why I'm going alone on this."

Another deafening silence was exchanged between the two before Sally gave a sigh.

"Then you should have this."

She then approached Coraline with a canteen and a covered package.

"Something for your travels. But I have to warn you. The Hinterlands, where the Holiday Doors were supposed to be, is like a maze. Just keep going straight and you will reach them."

"Alright." Coraline spoke. "Anything else I need to watch out for?"

"Only that in order to even reach the Hinterlands, you must enter the graveyard and climb Spiral Hill. When you reach the peak of the hill, just keep walking and it will grant you passage." Sally answered.

Coraline wondered what the ragdoll meant by that, but just let it go for now. Time was running out.

"Ok. Thank you, Sally. For everything. And could you tell Jack I'll see him soon…at the grove?"

Sally nodded as Coraline headed off in the direction she had pointed to. As the blue-haired figure disappeared into the night, Sally spoke once more to the wind.

"Good luck, Coraline."

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><p>Coraline headed down the path she had taken before until she reached a gate she never crossed. Looking ahead, she saw a surprising sight. A spiral-shaped hill silhouetting in the golden moonlight.<p>

"That must be the hill Sally told me." Coraline muttered.

Her hands touched the icy-cold iron as she moved it forward, a new path opened to her. She thought about changing her mind and waiting for Jack. But logic proved to be a better argument as she walked down the new path alone. At least until she heard a meow.

Looking down, she saw the Cat walking at her right, much like that day so long ago.

"And what do you think you're doing." The Cat asked with his usual snarky remark.

Walking, Coraline spoke to him.

"Well…I'm going back. What we need to get into Christmas Town is in the Other World. Where she is. I have to get them and get out as quickly as I can. Then I can finish what I had done back then."

"You do realize that there is a very slim chance she will fall for the same tricks twice? Do you even have a plan?" the Cat asked her.

Keeping her gaze on Spiral Hill, she relayed Plan A.

"Well, Plan A is to sneak in, find the door and those objects, and get out before she even knows I'm there. Once I'm out, I lock the door behind her."

"And if she's there, waiting for you?"

"Then Plan B." Coraline responded as she lifted up the arm her Soul Robber rested on.

She may no longer have her sickle, but at least she was still armed. She had observed Jack using his Soul Robber to fight off the monsters and flung her own around a bit for some practice. She got a great amount of practice in the underground caverns, but not much in a real fight. The closest was the spider monster where the Holiday Leaders were imprisoned.

But she knew the Other Mother won't go down without a fight.

It was then that she took notice at how empty the cemetery was, save for the gravestones that littered the place.

"That's weird. Shouldn't there be monsters here, too?" Coraline asked.

The Cat, using his senses, looked around as he kept up with Coraline.

"I don't smell them. But even if I did, there is no doubt they won't attack you."

"But why?" Coraline asked.

"Because they know who really created them. And if they disobey her…" the Cat trailed off, not that Coraline needed to know what he was talking about.

"So…that means she knows I'm coming. Or at least anticipates it. She wants to deal with me personally."

Nothing came from the Cat's mouth this time.

"What about when Jack comes by?"

The Cat then gave his own inkling on the probability.

"Most likely they will still attack him. Oogie wants vengeance on him, as well, for what the king did last year. _She_ targets you because you were the only one who inflicted the most damage upon her. You took her hand. You closed off her only exit. You tore down her web."

"I basically destroyed her…or came close to doing so." Coraline finished. "The former King of Halloween Town may have exiled her, but I cut off her food source. I was starving her to death."

"And now she wants retribution for such agonizing pain. If she succeeds, she will relish greatly as she consumes your life." The Cat spoke.

Reaching the hill, Coraline walked up the hill to the hilltop. From there she could see the area around her. She could see Halloween Town to the north, the Graveyard between her and the town. She could even see the glow of the giant jack-o-lantern in Behemoth's pumpkin patch. And ahead of her she saw a thick forest of dead trees.

The Hinterlands.

Remembering what Sally had told her, Coraline walked forward on the hill, praying that she would not fall and impale herself on the iron fence below. To her amazement, as she moved forward, the hill uncurled for her before connecting with the soil in front of the timberland.

"Wow! This is fantas-tonishing!" she exclaimed as she held out her arms to keep her balance.

For the first time in a while, she was enjoying the strangeness of the Holiday Realms. Granted, there were some high points to her adventure, but never had she witnessed since the appearance of the trees near the Pink Palace the landscape becoming alive before her. Were it not for the monsters, Oogie, and the Other Mother coming after her and her friend, she would probably be exploring the entire area for such wonders.

But she had a mission to complete.

Once her feet touched the ground, she turned back as the Cat did the same. To her surprise, the hill began coiling back into its original spiral shape.

"Guess we'll have to find another way back." Coraline spoke as she let the Cat climb into her bag.

She then walked on into the Hinterlands, following the directions Sally had given her.

"Go straight. Just keep going straight."

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><p>The passage of time became a blur as she walked on. Nothing but the sounds of the night creatures filled the air. Even with what the Cat had told her earlier, Coraline was still wary. With every step, she kept anticipating an attack. No surprise there. Ever since she got to Halloween Town she had been beset by monsters with little rest.<p>

Aside from the nocturnal animals, the silence irritated her. She wasn't a psychologist, but she knew that it was human nature to fear the unknown. And what better way to empathized that fear than with silence. With each step she took, the fear grew. She knew what was ahead of her. She knew what she had to do.

What she _didn't _know was if she was going to succeed and survive, or fail and die.

"There." She heard the Cat whisper.

Her gaze cast onto a familiar set of trees. The difference was that there were empty shaped holes in them. She couldn't fill them since Jack had the Holiday Doors in his possession, save one. It was then she noted the one unfamiliar tree in the center of the grove. On it was a single black button.

The Door to the Other World.

A part of Coraline wanted to run away and get Jack. But there was no turning back. It would take too long to get Jack and bring him back. By then, who knows what Oogie would do to the leader of Christmas?

She reached into the bag and pulled out the key. Her gaze returned to the door as she muttered to the Cat.

"Be prepared. We're going back in."

She figured the Cat would follow her back. Might as well give him a hand.

As she walked to the door, her heart began to beat even faster with each step. The nightmare she experienced four years ago came flooding back through her memories. How the dream world she had found deteriorated within three days into what it really was.

Coraline shook her head back to the present. No way was she going to fail. Everyone was counting on her to get that Christmas Door. Jack and Sally were counting on her. She had to succeed.

Soon she found herself three feet in front of the door. In the center, she could see the keyhole thanks to the light of the moon. Taking in a deep breath, she inserted the key and turned. The click sounded off that it was in position and ready to be opened. She then pulled on the turned key and opened the door. To make sure she didn't repeat the same mistake she did as a kid, Coraline removed the key and put it back in her bag.

She then peered inside the tree and jumped in.

The inside of the tree as she fell resembled the tunnel that led to the Other World from her apartment. Well, when she had to find her parents. There were broken toys and cobwebs everywhere. She was still unsure what was it that kept her from plummeting to her end, but she didn't care now. All she cared about was what she was here for.

She landed gently at the bottom and saw a familiar-looking small door. It was the same door she came through as a child. Looking above, she developed a theory.

"Maybe depending on where the outer door is open is the tunnel like this…"

Kneeling down, she turned the knob and crawled through into a very familiar setting. One that reminded her of home greatly.

She was in her web once more.

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><p><em>Happy Halloween, everyone!<em>

_"Fantas-tonishing" is a quote from the Coraline video game. I thought it might be useful in the fic._

_Please review._


	12. The Nightmare Returns

**Chapter 11**

**The Nightmare Returns**

_Well, I did it. I've managed to update just before Christmas. I hope you all like this chapter. _

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><p>Coraline found herself with the feeling of being home, yet not home at all. Oh how it would have been easy to think she had come home had it not been for the past and the obvious insect-like décor around her. The difference, however, was that everything seemed…darker than the last time she was here. And by darker, I mean scarier.<p>

She half-expected to find the Other Mother humming away, making a delicious meal in order to lure the teen into her trap. Silence, however, was present. Coraline did not like this at all. Silence was the worst thing in a situation like this. She wouldn't know where the Other Mother was hiding, making her unable to know if she was ready to pounce, with a needle and black thread in one hand, and the black button eyes nearby.

Coraline shook her head of such thoughts. Frightening or not, she could use the silence to her advantage. She needed to find the Christmas Door a.s.a.p. Just find it, and get out, hopefully locking the Other Mother up once and for all. She then reached into her pocket and pulled out the stone that had been helping her throughout this quest and brought it up to her eye. Nothing was glowing. At least not yet. She still had to explore the house.

Carefully, Coraline made her way from the living room to the dining room across. Then the kitchen. It was there she found something: the first of the items that the Cajun child told her to find. It was sitting right there, on the center of the table, a candle in a candle holder. And the only guards protecting it was a vase of sleeping Dragon Snappers. Coraline wanted to just run over there and take the candle, but no doubt those flowers were some sort of alarms system as well.

She managed to figure out a plan by looking at her wrist where her blue Soul Robber coiled, waiting patiently for its mistress' next move. She had to be quick. Facing the candle again, Coraline moved her armed arm back.

_"I have to get this in one shot."_

Then, with a flick of her wrist, her Soul Robber expanded, its sticky substance grabbing the candle, and bringing it back to her without waking the Dragon Snappers.

Coraline moved to the Other Father's former study in order breathe a sigh of relief. This was definitely a more dangerous task than before. But she had to press on. Taking out the stone again, she looked around in the Other Father's study, finding nothing but memories of a friend within the spider's web and the song that he sang to her the first night she came to the Other World.

_Making up a song about Coraline~_

_She's a peach. She's a doll._

_She's a pal of mine~_

_She's as cute as a button in the eyes of everyone whoever laid their eyes on Cor-a-line~_

_When she comes around exploring,_

_Mom and I won't ever, ever make it boring,_

_Our eyes will be on Coraline~!"_

It took some time, but Coraline wondered if the Other Father was trying to warn her with that song. The doll. The button eyes. The Other Mother watching. Even to this day, she mourned the demises of both the Other Father and the Other Wybie and hated the Other Mother for punishing them in helping the teen. She did get used to the real Wybie, but actually preferred her late silent companion more than the talkative one.

Coraline then proceeded to walk up the stairs to the upper floor. She found nothing in what would be her parents' room and found nothing. She then checked her room, which remained unchanged since the last time she was here. Her living toys and photo of her old friends from Michigan remained in the steamer trunk, leaving the room lifeless.

However, there was one new thing that was added to the room, a single red ornament that hung from the canopy of her bed. Coraline knew she couldn't use her Soul Robber on it. There was a good chance she could break it. So she had to take a risk.

She walked into the room.

As soon as she was in, the room suddenly came to life. The fireplace in front of the bed now had fire, lamps were turned on, and the steamer trunk was jerking around as its prisoners wanting to escape. Coraline had to be quick as she grabbed the ornament, lifting it so it would unhook from the canopy, and started towards the door. Just then, the steamer trunk burst open and all of Coraline's old toys came out.

The paper dragonflies she had over her bed at her real home started to flutter around her head, speaking to Coraline in their child-like voices.

"What's wrong, Coraline? Don't you wanna play?"

Her stuffed octopus started to climb up her leg and her turtle shell tried to trip her.

"Yeah! I wanna hug your face!"

Coraline with the ornament in one hand, pulled off the octopus, jumped over the turtle shell, and swatted the paper dragonflies away, making her way to the door. Before closing it, she spoke.

"Sorry, robots. But I'm too old for any of you."

She then slammed the door and, using the black button key, locked it.

Her heart pounding, Coraline covered the bauble in the remnants of her shroud next to the Cat before continuing. She had to find two more things: the star, and the Christmas Door. But where would they be? She was certain they weren't outside the house. With the removal of the three eyes; the garden, the theater, and the circus dissolved. So possibly, there was nothing outside the house. Problem was, she searched everywhere.

Then she remembered. There was still one place left.

Coraline walked down the stairs and down the hall, facing the mirror at the end of the hall. From the outside, it looked like a simple mirror. But Coraline knew that behind the mirror was the prison where the Other Mother kept the children that she grew bored with and consumed their lives. Coraline was there once before, when she saw what the Other Mother was, and knew she wouldn't be able to get out. Not without help, that was.

"How should I do this without getting trapped?" Coraline asked aloud.

A voice from her bag gave her the answer.

"May I suggest you use what you did to get the candle?"

Taking the Cat's advice, Coraline reached in, using her Soul Robber inside. Pulling out her arm, she found that she had caught the star. According to the Cajun child, the three items she had collected were the keys to obtaining the eye in Christmas Town.

But that just leaves the Christmas Door.

Just then, the star, the bauble, and the candle lifted from her and glowed. Coraline stood back as the three items merged into one light. When the light dimmed, in their place was a wooden Christmas tree, fully decorated with a golden knob on the right. Coraline immediately knew what this was.

"The Christmas Door!"

In haste, she grabbed the door before it shrunk into her hand. Perhaps the door knew she would take it back to where it belonged.

Now there was just one thing left.

Coraline returned to the living room, eager to leave, when she notice someone was trying to turn the knob to the Other World's door. Quick, Coraline ducked behind the couch and shushed the Cat. Her heart began to beat faster as she saw needle-like feet with dark cloth dragging behind.

_"The Other Mother!"_ Coraline thought in fear.

She kept silent, waiting for the Other Mother to leave. A scream became caught in her throat as the Other Mother sat down on the couch and sighed in frustration.

"That fool. I revive him and what thanks do I get? The Seven Holidays King. Ha! How laughable."

Coraline's eyes widened as she realized what the Other Mother was talking about.

She was talking about Oogie Boogie.

"That wretch better remember that it was me who brought him back. Not those insects in his body or those failures of henchmen. Hmph. No matter. Once I take care of Coraline, I will proceed to eliminate him along with the rest of Halloween Town. Well, at least I will be able to return…permanently…once they are all gone."

Coraline silently gulped as she overheard the Other Mother's conversation. She was planning to double cross Oogie. Not that Coraline had a problem with that. But the fact that the Other Mother was unknowingly sitting next to her quarry made Coraline's stomach churn with fear.

"But at least I'll have the upper hand in this plan. In order to reach Christmas Town, the 'prince' and Coraline will have to come here. Once they arrive, I can take care of them both with one…fell…swoop."

The dread continued to build up as Coraline pulled the Cat out and handed him her bag. She had to mouth her words in order to get the message across.

_"If I get stuck here, take this to Jack. The key's inside."_

But before Coraline could say anymore, something pulled at the back of her sweater. She was then forced to meet the black button gaze of the Other Mother.

"Why, Coraline. It's been a long time."

Coraline struggled to get out of her grasp.

"Not long enough." She growled.

But the Other Mother just laughed.

"While it was an amusing game of Hide-n-Seek, I'm afraid the game is soon coming to a close. But don't worry, it will be over soon once he comes."

Coraline stopped struggling, her eyes widening with dread.

"He? You don't mean…"

The Other Mother smiled cruelly. Coraline struggled again.

"But…but he has nothing to do with you!"

"No. But since I can't have revenge against his father, the boy will do just fine." The Other Mother replied, her voice like that of a serpent's hiss.

The Other Mother then dragged Coraline down the hallway towards the mirror. Coraline fought, completely forgetting about her Soul Robber.

"Leave him alone! It's me you want! Not him!"

"Now, now, Coraline. There's no need to worry. There is plenty for all…"

Then, she shoved the teenager into the mirror.

"But right now, I need you to…invite him over."

With the bait set, the Other Mother gave a raspy laugh before making her way to who knows where.

Meanwhile, the Cat hurried to the door, taking Coraline's bag with him. Once he was past the door, he used his claws to climb out of the tree and made his way back to town with a single thought in his mind.

"_I must warn the king!"_

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><p><em>Oh boy. Will Jack be able to save Coraline? Or will he become the Other Mother's next target? <em>

_Please review...if you dare. XD_


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